On 25 October 2025, the North Sydney Oval hosted an exciting match between Sydney Sixers Women and Sydney Thunder Women as part of the T20 Spring Challenge 2025. In a thrilling contest, the Sixers put on a determined batting performance, while the Thunder tried their best but ultimately fell short by 24 runs in what was the 12th match of the tournament.
After winning the toss, the Sixers decided to bat first and got off to a strong start. Their openers set the tone early, but the first wicket fell when Elsa Hunter, having made 12 runs off just 6 balls, was dismissed at 1.6 overs. The team was then sitting at 29 runs, but rather than faltering, they kicked it into gear.
Opener Emma Manix-Geeves and Lauren Kua formed a crucial partnership, who added 61 runs together, moving the score from 29 to 90 in just over 12 overs. Manix-Geeves anchored the innings with a solid 51 off 50 balls, peppered with six boundaries, while Kua contributed a steady 38 off 38, including four fours and a six.
Once that partnership ended at 90 for 2, the Sixers knew they had built a good foundation. With contributions from Erin Burns (15 off 11) and a late burst from Maitlan Brown (18* off 7), along with Claire Moore’s unbeaten 18 off 11, they pushed the total to an impressive 170 for 4 by the time their innings concluded. Extras also played a significant role, adding 18 runs (including 8 wides and 3 no-balls), which helped them set a challenging target.
Alex Mavros bowled 3.2 overs, giving away 34 runs and taking 1 wicket. Taneale Peschel had a similar outing, bowling 4 overs, conceding 41 runs, and also picking up 1 wicket. Tara French was impressive in her 4 overs, allowing just 32 runs and taking 2 wickets.
Stella Campbell bowled 4 overs, ended with 33 runs against her, but unfortunately couldn’t claim any wickets. Hasrat Gill, on the other hand, bowled 4 overs for just 19 runs. Although she didn’t take any wickets, her economy rate of 4.75 was the best among her teammates. While the wicket count wasn’t overwhelming, Gill’s containment spell stood out.
When the Thunder began their chase, they faced an uphill battle right from the start. Captain Tahlia Wilson was out for a duck in the first over, leaving her team in a precarious position at 0 for 1. However, Olivia Maxwell and Anika Learoyd responded with resilience, putting together a century-run partnership that brought the score to 101 runs before Learoyd was dismissed for a well-fought 52 off 44 balls.
Just as the Thunder began to find their rhythm, disaster struck again. Laura Harris fell for just 1, followed quickly by Maxwell’s dismissal for 42. With the score at 103 for 4, they struggled to regain momentum. Ella Briscoe also went without scoring, and despite efforts from Emily Powell (22* off 17) and Hasrat Gill (18 off 15), they couldn’t keep up with the required run rate and finished their innings at 146 for 6.
On the bowling side, Maitlan Brown shone with a brilliant spell, taking 3 wickets for just 24 runs in her four overs, earning her the Player of the Match title. Caoimhe Bray also bowled effectively, claiming 1 wicket for 21 runs in her four overs. Lucy Finn and Frankie Nicklin both contributed with solid bowling performances, ensuring the Thunder never gained the momentum they needed.
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