Women's Big Bash League: Tess Flintoff hits fastest fifty in Melbourne Stars win

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Tess Flintoff of the Stars is congratulated by Nicole Faltum of the Stars after hitting fiftyImage source, Getty Images
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Tess Flintoff finished with a strike rate of 318.75, the highest in a WBBL match

Women's Big Bash League, Sydney

Melbourne Stars 186-5 (20 overs): Flintoff 51* (16), Capsey 49 (31), Winfield-Hill 47 (49)

Adelaide Strikers 164-8 (20 overs): Mack 47 (38), Patterson 41 (23); Moloney 4-24

Melbourne Stars won by 22 runs

Melbourne Stars all-rounder Tess Flintoff hit the fastest fifty in Women's Big Bash League history in a 22-run victory over Adelaide Strikers.

Flintoff, 19, took only 16 balls to reach her half-century, ending on 51 not out as the Stars posted 186-5.

It is the second-fastest recorded fifty in women's T20 cricket, after Marie Kelly's 15-ball fifty for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in May.

Flintoff's stunning knock included six fours and three sixes.

The Australian beat the previous WBBL record of 22 balls shared by compatriot Ashleigh Gardner and South African Lizelle Lee in the 2017-18 tournament.

Flintoff capped a fine all-round display by taking a catch and a wicket to help restrict the Strikers to 164-8 in reply.

Alice Capsey smashed 49 off 35 balls for the Stars, with England team-mate Lauren Winfield-Hill hitting 47 off 49.

Strikers opener Katie Mack struck 47 off 38 deliveries but was one of four batters to fall to Sasha Moloney, who claimed 4-24.

Flintoff picked up the key wicket of South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt for 30, while Capsey dismissed Bridget Patterson for 41.

The Strikers are third in the table and the Stars fifth.