On a sunny morning at Cricket Central in Sydney, Brisbane Heat Women faced off against Melbourne Renegades Women in the third match of the 2025-26 T20 Spring Challenge. After winning the toss, the Heat confidently decided to bowl first, clearly showing their faith in their attack and a desire to take charge early in the tournament.
The Renegades’ batting innings turned out to be quite shaky. They were all out for just 85 runs in only 14.5 overs, which was surprisingly low considering the conditions. Their innings struggled to get going, and after losing early wickets, they never really found their footing.
Naomi Stalenberg had a modest contribution with 28 runs off 23 balls, including 2 fours and a six, and the collapse proved costly, with Naomi the only batter to enter double digits. The Heat bowlers maintained their discipline, with Bonnie Berry standing out by taking 4 wickets and playing a crucial role in breaking down the Renegades’ batting lineup. The pressure never lifted for the Renegades, who failed to regroup, leaving them with a small target to defend.
As the Heat prepared to chase down the 86 runs needed for victory, their start was cautious. The openers appeared to focus on settling in rather than rushing and the Renegades’ bowlers had their moments, but the Heat kept their composure. The match felt tense for a time when the Heat found themselves at 62 for 5 in the 13th over, having lost the wicket of Georgia Redmayne.
Nevertheless, the Heat demonstrated resilience. A patient partnership between Mikayla Wrigley, who scored 30 off 32 balls with 2 fours and a six, and the lower-order batters helped steady their innings. They began to open up their play at crucial moments and accelerated when necessary. Ultimately, the Heat secured the win at 88 for 7 in 19.1 overs, triumphing by 3 wickets with 5 balls to spare.
This victory gives Brisbane Heat Women a solid start in the T20 Spring Challenge. Wins like this build confidence, and successfully chasing under pressure this early in the tournament is a positive sign. Meanwhile, the Melbourne Renegades Women will reflect on their batting innings with some regret, they didn’t manage to set a defendable total though put up a great fight with the ball.
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