Lanning makes Renegades pay as Stars go top in WBBL

Meg Lanning has made the Melbourne Renegades pay dearly for a dropped catch, spearheading the Stars to a massive WBBL derby win.

Lanning carried her bat through the 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.

The Stars' first win in four Melbourne derbies gave them top spot, one point ahead of Hobart, who were to host Perth on Saturday night.

It sets up a pivotal clash on Monday, when the Hurricanes host the Stars.

While the Stars posted their fourth-straight win, the Renegades were well off the form that took them to last season's title.

The 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 as the Stars scored 5-160.

Captain Annabel Sutherland whacked two sixes off consecutive balls from Coyte on her way to a quickfire 27.

In the same over, Alice Capsley and Naomi Stalenberg collided when chasing a ball and Lanning contributed a third six off the hapless Coyte.

The Stars' Georgia Prestwidge caught the 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 the Renegades lost wickets steadily.

They were dismissed for 115 off 16.3 overs.

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 3-17 from 2.3 overs.

The undoubtable shining light for the Renegades in the dreary conditions was Milly Illingworth, who snared 3-19 from four overs.

The Stars will now lose Kapp to South African international duties, while Sophie Molineux was a key absentee for the Renegades.