Sydney Thunder retained their top spot on the points table with a nail-biting four-wicket win over Melbourne Stars at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney. The match, decided in the final over, kept fans on edge as both teams fought hard on a challenging pitch.
After being sent in to bat, the Stars struggled on a slow, two-paced surface and posted a modest 108/9. Hannah Darlington was the standout bowler for Thunder, claiming 3/26, while Chamari Athapaththu chipped in with 2/12. Despite the low total, the Stars made a strong start with the ball. Marizanne Kapp’s excellent spell of 3/20 under the lights had Thunder reeling at 15/3, taking key wickets of Phoebe Litchfield and Athapaththu.
Georgia Adams’ dismissal to Maisy Gibson's wrist spin further deepened Thunder's troubles at 37/4. However, Tahlia Wilson (33) and Anika Learoyd (31) stitched together a vital 49-run partnership that steadied the innings. Once the ball softened, batting became slightly easier, although the sluggish pitch continued to make scoring quickly a challenge.
The Stars stayed in the contest but undermined their efforts with costly errors. Thirteen extras and dropped catches proved decisive in a game with such a tight margin. The match remained evenly poised when Wilson fell to Kim Garth in the 17th over, leaving Thunder needing 23 runs from 19 balls. The power surge overs provided some relief, with Annabel Sutherland conceding just six runs in the first. However, Sophie Day’s second surge over proved critical, as a dropped chance and a boundary tilted the balance toward Thunder.
With eight runs required off the final over, Anika Learoyd and Hannah Darlington stepped up under pressure. Learoyd’s crucial boundary and Darlington’s finishing touch ensured Thunder crossed the line with two balls to spare.
While Thunder celebrated their hard-fought win, the Stars were left to rue their missed opportunities and underwhelming batting effort. Their 108-run total, despite Kim Garth’s quick 20 at the end, fell at least 15-20 runs short of a potentially match-winning target.
Brief Scores:
Melbourne Stars 108/9 in 20 overs (Kim Garth 20; Hannah Darlington 3-26, Chamari Athapaththu 2-12)
Sydney Thunder 112/6 in 19.4 overs (Tahlia Wilson 33, Anika Learoyd 31; Marizanne Kapp 3-20)
Thunder claimed victory by four wickets, further solidifying their position at the top of the table.