Thunder, Stars the winners on derby day

End of the road for Sydney teams with Thunder's bitter-sweet win

Tahlia Wilson has guided the Sydney Thunder to victory over crosstown rivals the Sydney Sixers, but it wasn't enough to earn her side a place in the T20 Spring Challenge semi-finals.

The Thunder were able to hold the Sixers to just 114 in the first innings and needed to chase down that total in 12.2 overs to make the top four.

Wilson did all she could to get her side over the line with her second half-century in as many games, but it was a bridge too far for her side, needing an extra four overs to reach their target.

Early in the chase it looked as if the Thunder might make it with Wilson and Georgia Voll getting the Thunder off to a great start, their opening partnership of 70 setting the tone.

Once the wickets of Voll and Anika Learoyd fell, the task became almost impossible and the side turned the focus to securing the points in their final game of the season.

The Thunder bowlers certainly held up their end of the bargain keeping the Sixers under pressure with consistent wickets and making it hard for the Sixers batters to score.

Samantha Bates was the pick of the bowlers with her figures of 3-21 while Taneale Peschel and Sienna Eve were the most economical with ball in hand.

This matchup brings to an end a mixed T20 Spring Challenge for the Thunder and Sixers, the Thunder finishing their campaign with two wins and two losses, while the Sixers won just the one game from their four.

Stars beat Renegades in a thriller to take final semis spot

The Stars have secured their place in the semi-finals with a narrow win over the Renegades in the Melbourne derby.

A player-of-the-match-earning bowling performance from Sophie Day saw the Stars restrict their cross-town rivals to a modest total after a big Powerplay, which had the 'Gades sprinting to 1-53.

The first-wicket partnership of Courtney Webb and Emma de Broughe had the Stars in bother as the duo found boundaries with ease with their aggressive yet smart batting.

Webb hit Day for three boundaries in the fourth over, but the left-arm orthodox spinner got her revenge by getting stumped for 39 in the ninth.

Once Sasha Moloney got the wicket of de Broughe (29) after the drinks break, the Stars tightened the screws, allowing the Renegades to get to just 139.

While Meg Lanning was caught and bowled by de Broughe soon after hitting her for a six, Rhys McKenna's quickfire 32 off 13 gave the Stars' chase a powerful start.

She hit Renegades captain Sarah Coyte for a six and three fours in the fourth over, before falling on the last delivery.

As wickets fell on the other end, with all the Renegades bowlers getting on the board, young Olivia Henry's mature innings of 24 off 30 and Mia Perrin's cameo left Stars nine runs to chase in the final over.

With the scores tied, Maisy Gibson edged it to the third boundary to get the win.

With three wins out of four, the Stars moved up to the third place, setting a semi-final clash with the Hobart Hurricanes and dashing the ACT Meteors' finals hopes.

The Renegades, on the other hand, finished seventh with two points.

Semi-Finals

October 19: Semi-final 1: Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers, Cricket Central, 10am AEDT

 

October 19: Semi-final 2: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars, Cricket Central, 2:30pm AEDT

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