Melbourne Stars 160 for 5 (Lanning 73*, Jones 43, Illingworth 3-19) beat Melbourne Renegades 115 (M Gibson 3-17) by 45 runs
Meg Lanning made Melbourne Renegades pay dearly for a dropped catch, spearheading Stars to a massive WBBL derby win.
Lanning carried her bat through Stars' innings, scoring 73, and was player of the match as they dominated for a 45-run win on Saturday in bleak, late-spring conditions at Junction Oval.
Stars' first win in four Melbourne derbies gave them top spot, one point ahead of Hobart Hurricanes, who were to host Perth Scorchers on Saturday night. It sets up a pivotal clash on Monday, when Hurricanes host Stars.
While Stars posted their fourth-straight win, Renegades were well off the form that took them to last season's title.
Renegades' fielding in particular let them down, most glaringly when Lanning was on 27 and cut Sarah Coyte to Deandra Dottin at backward point. Dottin grassed the straightforward chance and it proved a pivotal moment in the game.
The previous ball, excellent glovework from Nicole Faltum had Amy Jones stumped off Georgia Wareham for 43 to break a dangerous stand of 62 with Lanning.
Lanning hit seven fours and a six in her 58-ball knock. Captain Annabel Sutherland whacked two sixes off consecutive balls from Coyte on her way to a quickfire 27.
In the same over, Alice Capsey and Naomi Stalenberg collided when chasing a ball and Lanning contributed a third six off the hapless Coyte.
Stars' Georgia Prestwidge caught Renegades' malaise, dropping an easy chance from Dottin on the first ball of the innings. But fellow opener Courtney Webb spooned the easiest of return catches to Marizanne Kapp soon after and Renegades lost wickets steadily.
Sasha Moloney took a scorching catch at backward point to claim the crucial wicket of Wareham for a first-ball duck off Maisy Gibson. Dottin and Faltum made 23 and Gibson claimed 3 for 17 from 2.3 overs.
The undoubtable shining light for Renegades in the dreary conditions was Milly Illingworth, who snared 3 for 19 from four overs.
Stars will now lose Kapp to South African international duties, while Sophie Molineux was a key absentee for Renegades.
