A missed opportunity for the Hurricanes

Top of the table, bottom of the country. The centrepiece of Week 5 was a three-way play-off in Australia's southernmost state capital, Hobart, involving its northernmost WBBL teams, the home Hurricanes hosting the Sydney Thunder and the Brisbane Heat.

In the end it was a golden opportunity lost for the Hurricanes: four home games in a weekend gave them the chance to lock down top spot, but after knocking over Brisbane for 97 after setting them 131, Hobart dropped their next three in a row and saw the Thunder shoot past them on the league table.

The Thunder warmed up with a win over a tepid Heat, keeping Brisbane to a second sub-100 score in as many games before breezing past 95 in less than 13 overs. The Thunder then batted first twice against Hobart, setting scores of 135 and 121 and defending both successfully.

All this was built on Sydney's varied bowling attack. Experienced international Rene Farrell twice returned figures of 2 for 15. Teenage left-arm seamer Lauren Cheatle consistently struck early, taking 2 for 21 in the first match and 3 for 15 in the third. Nicola Carey recorded the tournament's best analysis for a seam bowler, with 4 for 12 in that second Hurricanes chase, the same game as opening batsman Stafanie Taylor shrugged off a rare duck to take two-top order wickets for 14.

The weekend also included a dream debut for teenage legspinner Maisy Gibson, who bowled her full allotment in the first win against the Heat and finished with 3 for 14, then took another 1 for 13 in each of her next two games. (Admittedly, the third time that came from one over.)

The Thunder's batting meanwhile broadened from its reliance on Taylor. Captain Alex Blackwell made consistent runs, twice undismissed, in the anchor role she so often plays for the national side. Rachael Haynes' aggressive 39 was key to their second win over Hobart.

Then there was Naomi Stalenberg, hardly one of the biggest names coming into this competition. A New South Welshwoman who plays for New Zealand's Northern Districts and has represented the Netherlands, Stalenberg has had an eclectic cricketing career by the age of 21. But she's quickly solidifying her home presence by becoming the inaugural WBBL's most dangerous striker.

In a tournament where scoring rates have been pegged back at times, she tore into Brisbane with 42 from 24 balls, including two sixes, before hitting a couple more in her 37 from 16 balls in the first win against Hobart. Nor were these the first times she has teed off this season: her tournament strike rate of 150.98 is the best in the competition by 30 runs.

As for Hobart, it was a weekend when their batting never got going. Corinne Hall's 39 in their opening game was their highest score for the round, so they could neither chase nor set a convincing target. Their 4 for 107 was overrun by Brisbane when Beth Mooney finally clicked with 48 not out in the second contest between the sides.

That win was all that the Heat could take from the weekend, though, another underwhelming performance that leaves a fancied side on 14 points with one game to play. They may be in third spot now, but with a tough trip to Adelaide awaiting, and games in hand for the teams behind them, Brisbane are a big chance of being overrun by the Strikers and the Stars.

When South Australia nabbed the Women's National Cricket League 50-over title from the hands of New South Wales for the first time in a decade there was every reason to believe the South Australian outfit would press for the inaugural WBBL title too.

With international star Sarah Taylor on the books alongside Australian seam combo Megan Schutt and Sarah Coyte, the Adelaide Strikers looked set for firepower. But after losing their first three fixtures, their season looked over before it had started.

After picking up their first win the previous week, the Strikers went back to back on home turf against the similarly underperforming Perth Scorchers. Playing on New Year's Eve, in debilitating heat, and on national television, Taylor reinforced how quickly she can set up a game with her range of straight drives, neat cuts and clever laps. Her 48 laid the base for a hard-to-beat 6 for 135.

When Perth's top four - loaded with internationals - failed to fire, the Strikers did the rest, running through the visitors for 100. Schutt's 3 for 11 was to be expected as Australia's best swing bowler, but far more surprising was the work of Amanda Wellington.

The 19-year-old leggie drifted and turned the ball in the best traditions of her craft to claim 3 for 13, in a coming-of-age performance in front of the cameras, exciting Adam Gilchrist at the back of the commentary box and prompting Taylor to tell ESPNcricinfo that she hopes that Wellington won't be playing against her for Australia any time soon.

In the return leg Adelaide had to chase 137 for the points, but did so with nine balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Coyte showed her long-handle ability in this format of the game is just important as her work with ball, cracking a quick half-century to carry the chase.

Halfway through their fixture list, the Strikers may have timed their run very nicely indeed. Meanwhile at 5-7, the Scorchers remain this season's biggest let-down.

We keep saying it, but it keeps happening. When the Renegades' Molly Strano picked up Meg Lanning for 2 in the second over of the inaugural Melbourne derby, the Stars had to reset the pattern of a tournament: to make a competitive score in the absence of their leader.

They couldn't. Reduced to 4 for 8 in the fourth over, the game should have been over there and then. As the first game moved to Network Ten's main channel, thankfully the Stars rallied to bat out their overs thanks to a stubborn 36 from the South African late arrival Mignon du Preez. Even with her efforts, the side logged 9 for 85.

Strano's 5 for 15 was the first five-for of the WBBL, earned across three spells of penetrative and resourceful off-spin. The Renegades made particularly hard work of the chase, scoring only 31 by the halfway mark, but got there with one ball to spare, ensuring an exciting finish for an audience that peaked not far short of half a million viewers.

The next day? Back to normal programming, with an untelevised 77 not out from Lanning as she again successfully batted through an innings. That stacked up too many for the Renegades, who continue to underwhelm with the bat.

Both Melbourne sides have plenty to play for this weekend, the Stars needing to arrest their middling form to secure a finals berth and the Renegades needing just about everything to go right if they are to feature in the post-season.

The sixth weekend of the WBBL has just got underway, and as ever we'll recap those games in the days to come. This round is all about Melbourne, with the Stars and the Renegades variously hosting the Strikers, the Sixers and the Thunder in a three-day carnival featuring seven games held mostly at the Junction Oval.

The feature match of the weekend though will be at the Docklands Stadium, with the Renegades and the Thunder playing in a double-header before the men's BBL has its Melbourne derby.

It's a great chance to follow up the Chris Gayle fiasco by reminding the world (and the Renegades' own administrators) that there is also a team of women wearing the Renegades uniform, and possibly with more distinction than some of their counterparts.