Testing times: Hayward's Powerplay exam

For most Victorians in Year 12, the most intimidating thing that happened on Wednesday was their final English exam.

Not so for Ella Hayward, who followed that three-hour examination with a stern test of a different variety: bowling to India superstar Smriti Mandhana in the Powerplay of a Weber WBBL run chase.

The off-spinner sat the test at the Renegades' Launceston hotel on Wednesday morning, when it finished at 12.15pm, she jumped in a car and hurried to the University of Tasmania Stadium in time for the first ball of their showdown with Sydney Thunder at 1.25pm.

Fortunately, Renegades captain Sophie Molineux had elected to bat first after winning the bat flip, giving Hayward a bit of time to collect her thoughts.

Later, when the Thunder needed 143 for their first win of the season, Hayward joined fellow spinners Molineux and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur in delivering a spin heavy Powerplay.

Their tactic worked, and while Mandhana hit a season-best 64, the defending champions were kept to 8-133.

Hayward finished with figures of 1-15 from her four overs, dismissing Thunder opener Tahlia Wilson.

"It was a long exam… it was good to have the game to look forward to afterwards, it was like the light at the end of the tunnel," Hayward told cricket.com.au from Perth on Friday morning, shortly before she was due to sit a maths exam.

"You see (a batter like Mandhana) and it was such a key wicket, and we didn't let her get away from us too much.

"For me it was a challenge bowling dot balls and getting her off strike and then really attacking the other batter.

"I think we did really well, when she was batting very well (and then) Harman was able to get the breakthrough this was great."

Hayward is in her second season at the Renegades; last season she made eight appearances after becoming a regular member of the XI when leg-spinner Georgia Wareham was ruled out with a season-ending injury.

It has been a similar tale in WBBL|07, Hayward was on the sidelines for the first two games of the season, but returned to the XI when Wareham ruptured her ACL while fielding against the Strikers.

The Renegades' spin-heavy approach across the past two matches has been her take on a key role in the first six overs of the innings, but if the teenager is intimidated, it does not show.

"It's good to get that opportunity to bowl in the Powerplay, I enjoy it and it's a good challenge," Hayward said, adding she was enjoying the chance to take on greater responsibility bowling alongside left-arm orthodox spinner Molineux and fellow off-spinner Kaur.

"It's good learning from them both, with Soph more from a (setting) fields point of view, and a tactical one as well," Hayward said.

"Having Harry (Harmanpreet) at training, it's good having her as a role model, watching how she bowls and goes about things."

Hayward is one of a number of school students juggling Weber WBBL|07 with the end of their school studies, Sydney Thunder batter Phoebe Litchfield, Sixers leggie Jade Allen and Heat allrounder Georgia Voll are among others in the same position.

Studying on the road is become something of the norm for these cricketers, who also sat exams in the WBBL hub in Sydney last season, while the Melbourne and Sydney-based players in particular are no strangers to remote learning.

"It's bit a bit of a juggle (between cricket and study) over here but every single staff member, every single player has been so supportive," Hayward said.

"'Helmo' (coach Simon Helmot), he's been amazing, he understands and he has a kid in Year 12 doing exams as well.

"He's told me, 'When you have something school related, focus on that, the cricket can come second after an exam'."

Hayward's final test is on November 11; after that she will be also to purely focus on taking her T20 game to another level.

It is something she worked hard on through the winter in Victoria, adding variety and nuance to her bowling.

"I was working on a bit of technique stuff but also tactical stuff as well, thinking more about how I'm going to bowl to different batters and fields that are a bit different, either in the Powerplay or a death situation," she said.

"It seems to be working so it's nice to have a bit of rhythm."

The Renegades meet Sydney Sixers at Lilac Hill on Saturday, and Adelaide Strikers at the same venue the following day.