WBBL: Perth Scorchers have thumped Sydney Thunder to jump to second on table

Perth Scorchers have stormed to a crucial away victory and shot to second on the WBBL table, producing their best bowling performance yet to beat Sydney Thunder.

A revamp of the batting order, which included sliding captain Sophie Devine down to No.4, unlocked the Scorchers’ batting for the first time this season as they toppled the ladder-leaders by 74 runs at Drummoyne Oval on Tuesday night.

Devine posted 48 from just 34 balls and import Hemalatha Dayalan finally fired with 41 off just 26 in Perth’s 7-171, their best score of the campaign by 29 runs.

Teen sensation Chloe Ainsworth then put the clamps on a loaded Thunder top-order, dismissing both openers Charmari Athapaththu and Georgia Voll, and going for just 15 runs from her four overs.

The Thunder made just 97 and were bowled out with three balls to spare.

Fellow quick Ebony Hoskin took 2-10 from three, in a return to form after she was crunched as part of Lizelle Lee’s record score in the heavy defeat to Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.

The Hurricanes loss had slid the Scorchers down to sixth, but they now finish the two-game Sydney league of their mid-season road trip in second with a 4-2 record and behind the Thunder only on net run-rate.

The Scorchers opened with veteran Chloe Piparo, the third spot she has batted in as many games. She made 17 at a run-a-ball but was involved in a mix-up that had Beth Mooney dismissed for seven.

Perth were waiting for Hemalatha, who had taken some time to adjust to Australia wickets, to explode into the tournament. She did just that in an innings that featured four boundaries and a six.

The Scorchers could go top of the table if they beat Thunder in a rare clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. They then play the Strikers in Adelaide and Sydney Sixers in Hobart.