Laura Wolvaardt starred with the bat and Amanda-Jade Wellington with the ball as Adelaide Strikers got their WBBL season off to a winning start at home. The South African opener hit a stroke-filled 70, and other middle order cameos lifted Strikers to an imposing 185/2, before Wellington's 3 for 28 derailed what was, up until then, a solid response from Melbourne Stars. The visitors went down by 21 runs, from a comfortable 77-run opening stand in eight overs.

Put in to bat, Strikers' openers provided a flying start, adding 54 runs inside seven overs before Maia Bouchier was dismissed by Annabel Sutherland for 30 off 21. Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a fluid 70 off 50 deliveries, striking nine boundaries. Following her departure in the 18th over to Kim Garth, captain Tahlia McGrath and Madeline Penna unleashed a late-innings blitz.

McGrath struck an unbeaten 43 off 36 deliveries, while Penna produced an explosive cameo of 36 not out from just 13 balls, hammering four boundaries and three sixes. The pair plundered 42 runs across the final two overs, propelling Adelaide to a daunting target.

In response, the Stars mounted a spirited chase led by an aggressive 77-run opening stand between Meg Lanning (32 off 24) and Rhys McKenna (40 off 31). However, leg-spinner Wellington shifted momentum decisively in the ninth over by trapping Lanning leg-before and bowling No.3 Amy Jones for two in the space of four deliveries. McKenna top-scored with 40, but regular breakthroughs thwarted Melbourne's chase. Naomi Stalenberg kept the contest alive with a handy cameo of 32 in 25, but the required rate took its toll as Sophie Ecclestone (2 for 25) and Eleanor Larosa (2 for 23) applied the squeeze.

Brief scores: Adelaide Strikers 185/2 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 70, Tahlia McGrath 43*, Madeline Penna 36*; Kim Garth 1-27) beat Melbourne Stars 164/7 in 20 overs (Rhys McKenna 40, Meg Lanning 32; Amanda-Jade Wellington 3-28) by 21 runs

Perth Scorchers came up with a clinical all-round show to begin their WBBL campaign with a comfortable nine-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades in Perth. Chloe Ainsworth and Fatima Sana bagged two wickets each as Scorchers restricted Renegades to 136 for 6 despite a fightback from Georgia Wareham and Nicole Faltum. Scorchers then got the job done in 13.3 overs, with Beth Mooney (58* off 40) and Sophie Devine (47* off 32) taking them over the line.

Asked to bat, Renegades found themselves in early trouble, reduced to 20 for 4 inside the first six overs, with Ainsworth picking up two. At the halfway stage of the innings, Renegades only had 45 for 4, with Faltum and Wareham having started the rebuilding job.

Faltum struck regular boundaries while Wareham too her time before striking a six off Alana King in the 15th over to hit her straps. She built on the momentum with a flurry of fours to bring up a 33-ball fifty. She struck a total of eight fours - all of them post the 15th over - before getting out to Devine. Faltum was bowled by Sana in the final over, two short of a half-century, but it was a good finish nevertheless for Renegades as they managed 55 runs in the last five overs to give their bowlers a fighting chance.

Scorchers suffered an early setback in the chase as Katie Mack was dismissed by Tayla Vlaeminck for an 11-ball 9. Mooney then got the chase going with three fours in an over off Milly Illingworth, while Devine got a four off Sophie Molineux to take Scorchers past 50 in the sixth over.

The pair dealt in regular boundaries, with Devine also hitting a six off Molineux, taking Scorchers to 93 for 1 at the end of the 10th over, and past 100 in the following over. Mooney struck two fours off Deandra Dottin in the 12th over to bring up a 35-ball fifty. Devine provided the finishing touches, striking two successive maximums off Wareham to power Scorchers to a convincing victory.

Brief scores: Melbourne Renegades 136/6 in 20 overs (Georgia Wareham 62 off 39, Nicole Faltum 48 off 49; Chloe Ainsworth 2-22, Fatima Sana 2-27) lost to Perth Scorchers 138/1 in 13.3 overs (Beth Mooney 58* off 40, Sophie Devine 47* off 32; Tayla Vlaeminck 1-29) by 9 wickets.