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The Perth Scorchers have recorded their second loss of WBBL06, suffering a 24 run defeat at the hands of the Sydney Thunder at Blacktown International Sportspark on Wednesday.
Having chosen to bowl first the decision looked an inspired one from Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine when the team in orange struck three times in the powerplay, reducing the Thunder to 3-22.
Piepa Cleary trapped England international Tammy Beaumont in front of her stumps for four, before Rachel Trenaman was also leg before wicket to Taneale Peschel three balls later for six.
It was three wickets in three overs when Sarah Glenn slipped one through the defences of Sammy Jo Johnson, the home team in early trouble.
Skipper Rachael Haynes and Heather Knight steadily rebuilt the innings, hitting out in the death overs to put the Thunder back on top with runs on the board on a wicket that was showing signs of variable bounce.
The duo had added 108 by the time they were separated, Knight out for 57 to the bowling of Heather Graham.
Haynes batted through to the end of the innings undefeated on 61 from 51 balls, having struck three fours and three sixes in a vital knock for her side.
Sydney finished with a score of 4-144, a challenging chase for the Scorchers but not beyond a batting line up featuring Sophie Devine, Beth Mooney and Nicole Bolton.
Devine couldn't get going this time around, stumped for seven off the bowling of Sam Bates. Megan Banting was beaten for pace by South African import Shabnim Ismail shortly after, the innings in freefall at 2-25.
Mooney looked in good touch as she began to find the boundary with support from Bolton, the pair adding 43 to bring the Scorchers back in to the match.
Part time bowler Trenaman got the huge scalp of Bolton for 19 in what would be her only over, Mooney lacking support from there as the innings fell away with regular wickets.
Knight took two wickets in three balls to go with her earlier batting heroics, but it was Sammy Jo Johnson who got the key wicket of Mooney for 61, the former Heat player dismissing her former WBBL title winning captain in a hammer blow for the team in orange.
The end came swiftly from there as the final four wickets fell for five runs, the Scorchers all out for 120 in 19.4 overs to suffer a 24 run loss.
Sam Bates bowled brilliantly to snare 3-9 for the team in green, two wickets each for Knight and Johnson in a terrific performance from Haynes' side with bat and ball having been in early trouble with the bat.
The win keeps the Thunder undefeated and top of the table after five matches, while the Scorchers now slump to fifth with just one win so far in what has been a rain affected tournament to date.
Perth will hope for better luck and clear skies in their next match against the Melbourne Stars on Saturday, which looms as a crucial hitout for their chances of playing finals in this years tournament.
IMAGE: Cricket Australia website.