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Ashleigh Gardner shines as Sixers extend winning streak; Renegades register maiden WBBL06 victory

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Gomesh Shanmugavelayutham
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Ashleigh Gardner shines as Sixers extend winning streak; Renegades register maiden WBBL06 victory

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It was a day for defending totals, and Melbourne Renegades could not have asked for a better chance to boost their morale as they registered their first victory in the sixth edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) with a last-over win against Sydney Thunder on Saturday (November 7). Meanwhile, in the other match of the day, Sydney Sixers continued their successful campaign, as an all-round performance from Ashleigh Gardner helped them defeat Hobart Hurricanes by nine runs.



Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Thunder 



Defending 19 runs in the last over, Rosemary Mair made an incredible comeback after being hit for three consecutive boundaries by Lauren Smith to hand Renegades their first victory by two runs. 



Chasing a below-par total of 110, Thunder lost Tammy Beaumont and Sammy-Jo Johnson to Mair in the powerplay. Though Heather Knight and Phoebe Litchfield tried to stitch a partnership but Sophie Molineux picked up both for 18 and 19 respectively to bring the downfall for Thunder. 



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The run-out of captain Rachael Haynes played a crucial role in turning things around. Nevertheless, Rachel Trenaman and Tahlia Wilson kept the Thunder in the chase. Georgia Wareham got rid of Trenaman for 26 and Molly Strano removed Wilson for 13. With Smith trying to take the onus on herself to finish things off, Mair held her nerves to restrict Thunder to 108/7 in 20 overs. 



Earlier, Lizelle Lee and Molineux got the Renegades off to a quick start. However, once Lee got out for 20, things slowed down for them. Skipper Amy Satterthwaite and Molineux tried to build a partnership and added 35 runs in 41 balls for the second wicket before Smith removed the former for 19.



Trenaman ran out Courtney Webb in the very next over, after which the Renegades fell like a pack of cards. Molineux made 34 off 42 balls, and Georgia Wareham was out for unlucky 13. 



From 76 for three, the Renegades went to 110-all out. Johnson was the pick of the Thunder bowlers as she racked up 4/26 in her four overs including the wickets of Lee, Josephine Dooley, Erin Fazackerley. Smith (2/15) and Samantha Bates (2/16) took a couple of wickets each.



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Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes



In search of their second victory this season, the Hurricanes' openers were rocked by the teenage sensation Stella Campbell. She removed both Rachel Priest and Naomi Stalenberg in the powerplay. When the Hurricanes were struggling at 38/2, Hayley Mathews took the attack to the Sixers bowlers. She hit a quickfire 29 off 20 balls and was eventually dismissed by another teenager Hayley Silver-Holmes. 



Chloe Tryon joined Nicola Carey in the middle. The duo added a run-a-ball 32 for the fourth wicket before Tryon was yorked by Silver-Holmes. Trying to up the ante, Carey went after Dane van Niekerk only to be caught by Marizanne Kapp for 38 from 40 balls. 



Despite the efforts from Corinne Hall and Sasha Moloney, the Hurricanes fell short by nine runs. Gardner, who quietly chipped away with two wickets giving away just 20 runs in four overs, was the player of the match for her all-round performance.



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Earlier, the Sixers were off to a quick start as they had throughout this tournament. Alyssa Healy teed off in the powerplay hitting Belinda Vakarewa for back-to-back sixes. She was dismissed for an 18-ball 20 by Mathews as the wicketkeeper-batter tried to go big against the off-spinner. 



Gardner joined skipper Ellyse Perry in the middle and continued her good form in the tournament. They added 39 runs in 33 balls before Carey removed Perry for 35. Joined by Erin Burns, Gardner took the attack to the Hurricanes bowlers. She smashed Vakarewa for back-to-back sixes and Brooke Hepburn for a four and six off consecutive overs. The 23-year-old reached her half-century in 33 deliveries.



Just when they tried to maximise the last five overs, the 15-year-old Amy Smith removed both Gardner and Burns in the same over. Sixers were able to score only 27 runs in the last 30 deliveries, courtesy to some tight bowling from the Hurricanes spinners. Mathews and Smith took five wickets and gave away 25 runs in six overs between them as the Sixers ended their innings at 149/6 in 20 overs.



Brief Scores: 



Melbourne Renegades: 110/10 (Sophie Molineux 34, Lizelle Lee 20;' Sammy-Jo Johnson 4/26) beat Sydney Thunder 108/7 (Rachel Trenaman 26; Sophie Molineux 2/19) by two runs. POTM: Sammy-Jo Johnson.



Sydney Sixers: 149/6 (Ashleigh Gardner 53, Ellyse Perry 35; Hayley Mathews 3/15) beat Hobart Hurricanes 140/8 (Nicola Carey 38, Hayley Mathews 29, Ashleigh Gardner 2/20) by nine runs. POTM: Ashleigh Gardner.
Sophie Molineux Sydney Sixers Sydney Thunder Melbourne Renegades Stella Campbell Lauren Smith Amy Smith Women's Big Bash League, 2020 Ash Gardner
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