Harris hundred headlines Day 1 of Spring Challenge

Thanks to Laura Harris' unbeaten 102 from 46 balls, the Heat were able to make light work of the target set by the Sydney Thunder after their 20 overs. Harris brought up her milestone in style, with one run needed to win and on 96, she heaved Sammy-Jo Johnson over deep-square leg for six to win the game and bring up her century.

It was Georgia Redmayne who got the Heat’s chase off to a red-hot start, smacking 14 runs off the first over. It was then Harris’ turn to pile on the pain, hitting Georgia Voll for six off her first ball.

It wasn't long before the Heat were well on top, bringing up 50 off the first 18 balls of the innings thanks to some clean striking from Redmayne and Harris. That opening partnership was bought to end thanks to a Georgia Adams diving catch which saw Redmayne dismissed for a quick-fire 23 runs off 16 balls.

When all rounder Charli Knott stepped up to the crease, the Heat were well and truly in the box seat and it only took another six overs for Knott and Harris to win the match.

The Thunder were sent into bat after the Heat won the toss and elected to bowl and Tahlia Wilson got the innings off to a fast start with two back-to-back boundaries.

Things were looking good for the Thunder early on, Voll and Anika Learoyd built a nice partnership after the loss of Wilson but after the drinks break the Heat bowlers took control.

After losing Voll just before the drinks break, the Thunder were 2-87 after 10 overs and from there the Heat restricted them to just 64 runs from the last 10 overs.

Knott, Nicola Hancock and Lucy Hamilton all took two wickets. Knott the most economical of the bowlers with her figures of 2-27.

Faltum fires to get Renegades over the line against Hurricanes

Nicole Faltum top scored with 42 not out to steer the Melbourne Renegades to victory with just under an over to spare against the Hobart Hurricanes.

Ella Hayward and Courtney Webb set up the Renegades run chase with a 62-run partnership after Emma de Broughe fell early to the bowling of Hayley Silver-Holmes.

When Faltum came to the crease after Naomi Stalenberg (12) fell, the game was hanging in the balance with Faltum able to turn the tide for the Renegades starting her innings with back-to-back boundaries off the bowling of Ruth Johnston.

From there Faltum continued to keep the run rate trending upwards and when the experienced Nicola Carey stepped up to bowl in the final overs, the Renegades found themselves back in a winning position. Boundaries from Sarah Coyte in the 18th over further eased the pressure and then it was down to Faltum to hit the winning runs off the first ball of the nineteenth over.

Hurricanes young pace bowler Silver-Holmes was the pick of the bowlers finishing with three wickets from her four overs.

The Hurricanes came into the game with plenty of experience naming international Lizelle Lee alongside former Australian representatives Elyse Villani, Carey and Heather Graham.

Despite the Hurricanes experience core not being able to fire, Ruth Johnston started strongly with her 27 off 23 balls and Tabatha Saville, who closed out the innings strongly with 30 runs off 16 balls, combining with Molly Strano for 44 runs from the final four overs to bring up a defendable total of 169.

ACT hold on to upset Sydney Sixers at North Sydney Oval 

The ACT Meteors have kicked off its Spring Challenge campaign with an upset win over the Sydney Sixers.

The Meteors were sent in to bat by the Sixers and held their nerve in the second innings to hold off the Sixers after posting a score of 172.

There were consistent performances across the board for the Meteors, opener Alisha Bates set her side off to a good start with 24 of 18 balls. After the loss of Bates and Grace Lyons (22), Carly Leeson and Annie Wikman settled things for the Meteors with their contribution of 27 and 37 runs respectively.

Sixers wunderkid Caoimhe Bray, playing her first game in Sixers colours at just 15-years-old, was the pick of the Sixers bowlers taking two wickets from her four overs.

The Sixers looked to be on track to chase down the Meteors total until the Meteors broke through for the wicket of Mathilda Carmichael (27) in the ninth over.

Opener Kate Pelle kept the Sixers in the box set but after she was dismissed for 56 in the 17th over, the Sixers fell behind the run rate and it was made more difficult when they went on to lose two wickets for two runs in the final two overs.

Erin Burns held on with her 36 not out but it wasn't enough to chase down the total set by the Meteors.

Larosa's four wickets help Strikers to 15-run win

After signing her first ever WBBL contract in the off season, Eleanor Larosa has already put in a match winning performance for the Strikers in the Spring Challenge.

Her four wickets in the second innings helped restrict the Perth Scorchers to just 135 from their 20 overs seeing them fall 15 runs short of the target set by the Strikers.

The Strikers were sent in to bat by the Scorchers after losing the toss and despite losing Ellie Johnston with the first ball of the game, Katie Mack and Madeline Penna were able to respond with a 61-run partnership.

After losing Mack (37 off 28) and Penna (33 off 30) in quick succession Annie O’Neil and Paris Hall stepped up with a partnership of their own to help the Strikers to a competitive total of 150.

The Scorchers were left to rue some chances having dropped at least five catches during the Strikers innings.

Maddy Darke and Ines McKeon looked to have put the Scorchers in a winning position at the start of their sides innings, but the WA side lost three wickets for 23 runs just after drinks.

From there, the Strikers bowlers piled on the pressure and were able to restrict the Scorchers further with four wickets in the final two overs to run away with the win. Alongside Eleanor Larosa another emerging player in Maggie Clark impressed with ball in hand taking two wickets of her own.