Thrilling finishes headline action-packed WBBL Sunday

Sixteen-year-old Litchfield stuns Heat at North Sydney Oval

A match-winning knock from 16-year-old Phoebe Litchfield propelled the Sydney Thunder to a shock upset win over reigning Rebel WBBL title-holders Brisbane Heat.

Litchfield, playing just her second Big Bash game after debuting on Friday night, struck an unbeaten 52 and shared a 97-run stand with veteran Alex Blackwell as the Thunder chased down Brisbane’s 9-150 with seven balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.

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In the process, the Year 10 student from Orange became the youngest player, male or female, to score a Big Bash fifty.

For the second consecutive match, Litchfield strode to the crease under immense pressure with her team 3-56 and with stars Rachel Priest (31), Naomi Stalenberg (18) and Rachael Haynes (5) back in the dugout.

Facing an attack featuring international stars Delissa Kimmince, Amelia Kerr and Jess Jonassen, Litchfield took four balls to get off the mark, and 11 to score her first boundary.

From there, the left-hander produced a stunning array of shots; driving, cutting and going over the top to bring up a maiden WBBL half-century from 47 deliveries.

On Friday, she had shared a 68-run fourth-wicket stand with 36-year-old Blackwell, and the Thunder veteran proved the perfect foil once again for the youngster, finding the boundary four times herself before clearing it to seal victory in an unbeaten 42 off 27.

Earlier, Beth Mooney got off to another flying start for the Heat, hitting seven boundaries and racing to 35 before she was bowled attempting to sweep left-arm spinner Sam Bates (3-33).

Grace Harris struck a six second ball but hopes of a big innings from the powerful right-hander were dashed the following over when she was called through for a quick single by captain Kirby Short, only to be run out.

Short (15) gifted a return catch to Nida Dar eight balls later and while the Heat run rate continued ticking along close to nine an over, the wickets continued to tumble as Maddy Green (13) and Sammy-Jo Johnson (0) fell in consecutive Bates deliveries.

Hurricanes recruits edge Stars at Junction Oval

Star recruit Nicola Carey dominated with bat and ball to lead the Hurricanes to a second consecutive Rebel WBBL win over the Melbourne Stars.

Carey’s unbeaten 60 steered the Hurricanes to a five-wicket win as they chased the Stars’ 7-136 with nine balls to spare.

It's a dream start for Salliann Briggs' new-look team who won just two matches in WBBL|04.

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It came after she took 2-27 to help restrict the home side, with fellow recruit Belinda Vakarewa – also lured across from the Thunder – taking 2-22.

Sent in by the Hurricanes, Elyse Villani would have been desperate to make amends for a first-ball duck on Saturday and she made a positive start striking two boundaries, only to fall to Belinda Vakarewa for the second time in as many days, caught at backward square leg for eight.

The new-look Hurricanes bowling attack of Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck and Nicola Carey tied down Stars pair Lizelle Lee and Emma Inglis as just 28 runs were scored from the first five overs.

Lee started to find her groove with three consecutive boundaries, only to hole out at long on, and Inglis – who had battled her way to 20 after at one point being on two from 15 balls – followed two balls later, bowled attempting to ramp Carey.

The pressure continued to pay off as New Zealand import Katey Martin was dismissed for four off 12, and when Erin Osborne was run out at the run-strikers end, the Stars were in trouble at 5-93.

Contributions from Proteas star Mignon du Preez (23), and teenagers Annabel Sutherland (17) and Tess Flintoss (18no) lifted the Stars to 7-136.

The early dismissals of Erin Fazackerley (15), Stefanie Daffara (2) and Heather Knight (18) had the Hurricanes looking wobbly in reply, but Carey formed a match-winning partnership with South African recruit Chloe Tryon (29no) to put on 64 from 37 balls to seal victory.

England stars steer Renegades to victory in Adelaide

England pair Danni Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont secured the Melbourne Renegades' first win of the season with a five-wicket victory over the Adelaide Strikers.

Wyatt's 61 off 37 and Beaumont's 44-ball 41 ensured the Renegades reversed Saturday's result between the same sides, as they chased the Strikers' 5-152 with an over to spare.

View the full scorecard HERE

Batting first, Strikers star Sophie Devine threatened to take the game away from the Renegades as she went on the attack, hitting Australian allrounder Sophie Molineux for three sixes in a 30-ball assault that only ended on 48 when she holed out to the bowling of off-spinner Molly Strano.

Suzie Bates (24), Tahlia McGrath (24) and Bridget Patterson (38) all contributed without going on to a larger score, with Renegades Strano (2-28), Maitlan Brown (2-20) and Georgia Wareham (1-20) restricting the hosts.

Hearts would have been in mouths when Molineux fell first ball of the chase, but Wyatt and Beaumont joined in an 84-run stand to steady proceedings.

After they fell, captain Jess Duffin (26) stood tall before second gamer Josie Dooley (7no) sealed victory.

To come on Wednesday:

The WBBL|05 action continues on Wednesday when the Scorchers play their first match of the season against the Renegades at Junction Oval, at 1pm AEDT.

The match will be streamed live and free by cricket.com.au, the CA Live app, Kayo and the WBBL Facebook page.