A “very special” innings from Georgia Voll engineered the Sydney Thunder’s highest ever successful chase in a vital win over the Perth Scorchers at the MCG on Friday.

Voll could be the recruit of the WBBL season after following her career-high 92 two weeks ago with a stunning 97 from 56 balls, carrying her bat to steer the Thunder past the Scorchers’ 5-170 with a full over to spare.

The 21-year-old Queenslander, who crossed from Brisbane Heat at the end of last season, started steadily with 17 from her first 15 balls before exploding with 10 fours and a six from her next 41 deliveries.

It came after Australian star Beth Mooney – who was sensationally dropped four times – posted 97 runs of her own from 64 balls to set an imposing target in the finals-shaping clash.

Both teams had entered with 4-2 records, but the Thunder gained the upper hand in an emphatic response to their heavy 74-run defeat to the Scorchers in Sydney on Tuesday.

Voll and Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield were facing a required run rate of 10 per over when Litchfield came down the pitch to Sophie Devine’s spin and was stumped by Mooney to leave them 2-72 in the 10th over.

But the right-hander held her nerve, with important support from English veteran Heather Knight (28 off 24) and a pressure-relieving straight drive for four by Anika Learoyd when they had needed 21 off 14 balls.

“It was a very special innings, and a special game,” Voll said after the player-of-the-match performance in her first game at the MCG.

“It’s probably one of the best wins I’ve been a part of. To be there at the end and steer us home was pretty special.

“I chose to come down (to the Thunder) at the start of the year, and it was nice to give back to the club for getting me down here, and it’s just special to be able to get our team over the line in such an important game for us in the tournament.”

Mooney, who fell just short of her fourth WBBL century, could have been caught behind the wicket twice in the first three overs, but Voll said the Thunder had managed to keep their cool.

“I think when you drop a class player like Moons, you can really pay, and we probably did there,” she said.

“There were probably three or four half-chances, but they can change the game. We came back really well, and spoke at the halfway point how we wanted to go about it.

“First time stepping on the MCG, rocking up for training (on Thursday) … it was really special to play on the field, really special to be able to step foot on this ground, let alone play out on the middle.”