In an exciting matchup at the Blacktown Olympic Park No 2 Oval in Sydney, Hobart Hurricanes Women chased down Melbourne Stars Women’s target of 130 with six wickets and ten balls remaining. The T20 Spring Challenge 2025 encounter was filled with drama, shifts in momentum, and some impressive partnerships.
The Stars chose to bat first, looking to establish a solid foundation. Openers Meg Lanning and Ines McKeon started cautiously, but the Hurricanes struck early, putting the Stars under pressure. McKeon was out for 9 runs off 9 balls, hitting two boundaries but unable to convert her start into a bigger score. Next ball, Rhys McKenna fell for a golden duck, leaving the Stars at 29 for 2.
This setback led to a critical partnership between Meg Lanning, who scored 40 runs off 34 balls, and Sasha Moloney, who scored 50 runs off 40 balls. Together, they formed a 71-run stand that revived the innings and got the Stars back in contention. Lanning maintained a strike rate of 117.64, while Moloney dazzled with six fours and a six, striking at 125.00.
However, once that partnership was broken at the score of 101, with Lanning’s wicket, the Stars struggled to maintain their momentum. Wickets continued to fall quickly, with Georgia Prestwidge and Indigo Noble scoring just 1 run each. Though Moloney and some late contributions tried to inject life into the innings, they couldn’t change its fate. The Stars ended their innings at 130 for 8, giving the Hurricanes a target of 131.
Hayley Silver-Holmes led the Hurricanes attack with returns of 4/24, and Callie Wilson and Lauren Smith chipped in with a couple each. Molly Strano, though wicketless in this game, was outstanding conceding only 19 runs off her 4 overs.
The Hurricanes started their chase with caution but determination. Opener Lizelle Lee managed just 8 runs off 17 balls before falling, with the first wicket falling at 39 runs. A vital partnership was beginning to build between Ruth Johnston and Lee, but Johnston made a major contribution, scoring 30 runs off 17 balls with five fours and a six, before her dismissal once again shifted the match’s dynamics.
With the innings now at 54 for 2 after Lee’s wicket, the Hurricanes needed to stay focused to chase down the target. The next crucial phase was spearheaded by Nicola Carey, who smashed 26 runs off 13 balls, ensuring the run rate remained healthy. Her exit at 75 for 3 brought in skipper Elyse Villani, who scored 13 runs off 20 balls before falling at 100 for 4 in the 14.3 over, leaving the team with work still to do.
The real turning point was the partnership that developed after Villani’s departure. Rachel Trenaman, who scored 34 runs off 33 balls, joined Tabatha Saville, who chipped in with 15 runs off 11 balls. Together, they steered the chase to safety. Saville finished things off in style, including a six in the penultimate over, and remained unbeaten as they reached 131 for 4 in just 18.2 overs.
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