The 8th match of the T20 Spring Challenge 2026 at Bankstown Oval in Sydney delivered an absolute thriller as Melbourne Renegades Women edged out Melbourne Stars Women by a single run.
After Melbourne Stars Women won the toss and elected to bowl, the Renegades constructed a formidable innings through clinical partnerships. The opening stand between Annie Wikman and Courtney Webb brought 28 runs off 23 balls before Sophie Day broke through by removing Wikman for 5 off 10 balls, caught by Carly Leeson in the fourth over. Sophie Reid then joined Webb to rebuild and accelerate the scoring, combining for an impressive 82-run second-wicket partnership off 57 deliveries.
Reid contributed a lively 44 off 34 balls with 5 boundaries and 2 sixes before being bowled by Zoe Samuel with the team total at 108 for 2. Courtney Webb continued her superb form alongside Tess Flintoff, adding 51 runs off 27 balls for the third wicket. Webb top-scored for the Renegades with a sparkling 82 off 53 balls, featuring 14 fours, before Samuel struck again in the 18th over to have her caught by Georgia Prestwidge at 159 for 3. Flintoff provided the final flourish with a quickfire 30 off 18 balls including 5 boundaries before falling to Day, caught by Rhys McKenna, at 180 for 4.
Olivia Porter remained unbeaten on 5 off 6 balls after sharing an unbroken 21-run stand off 13 balls with Flintoff, helping the Renegades finish their 20 overs at 180 for 4. Among the Stars bowlers, Sophie Day was the standout with figures of 2 for 25 in 4 overs, while Zoe Samuel picked up 2 for 41 in her 4-over spell. Rhys McKenna went for 32 in 3 overs, Aanilya Cheeran recorded 0 for 32 in 3 overs, Georgia Prestwidge conceded 27 in 3 overs, and Maisy Gibson ended with 0 for 21 off 3 overs as the Renegades capitalized on a 47-run powerplay.
In reply, Melbourne Stars Women started their chase with brilliant intent during a 53-run mandatory powerplay. Openers Rhys McKenna and Meg Lanning assembled a commanding 94-run opening stand off 67 balls to place the Stars in complete control. Captain Lanning stroked 52 off 34 balls with 7 fours and a six before Annabell Glossop had her caught by Lucy Wilson in the 12th over. McKenna then teamed up with Carly Leeson to put together 47 runs off 28 balls for the second wicket. McKenna made 55 off 45 balls before being caught by Sophie Reid off Tarah Staines at 141 for 2.
What followed was a sensational middle-order collapse engineered by Tess Flintoff. Flintoff dismissed Leeson for 27 off 17 balls, caught by Milly Illingworth at 141 for 3, before immediately removing Naomi Stalenberg for a two-ball duck caught by Illingworth and Georgia Prestwidge for a golden duck caught by Staines. This devastating spell saw the Stars lose four wickets for no runs, sliding from 141 for 1 to 141 for 5. Zoe Samuel launched a late counter-attack, smashing an unbeaten 28 off 13 balls with 3 fours and a six.
Samuel added 19 runs off 9 balls with Indigo Noble, who scored 7 off 5 balls before becoming Flintoff’s fourth victim via a caught-and-bowled at 160 for 6. Samuel and Maisy Gibson, who scored 2 not out off 3 balls, pushed hard by adding another 19 runs off 11 balls, but the Stars finished just short at 179 for 6. Tess Flintoff turned the match on its head with game-changing figures of 4 for 32 in 4 overs.
Annabell Glossop was economic with 1 for 11 in 2 overs, while Tarah Staines took 1 for 29 in 3 overs. Sara Kennedy conceded 22 runs in 2 overs, Milly Illingworth returned figures of 0 for 34 in 3 overs, Lucy Wilson went for 38 in 4 overs, and Olivia Porter gave away 12 runs in 2 overs as the Renegades secured a heart-stopping one-run victory.
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