The eleventh edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) produced a one-sided contest at North Sydney Oval, where Melbourne Stars Women overwhelmed Sydney Sixers Women to claim their second win in four matches, while the Sixers slumped to their second loss in four outings.
After being asked to bat, the Stars delivered an innings of complete control, powered by a towering display from Meg Lanning that left the Sixers chasing the game from the outset.
Lanning was in vintage touch, constructing a majestic 135 off 74 balls with 22 boundaries and four sixes, an innings that defined the match. Rhys McKenna provided explosive support with a blazing 50 off 34, striking four fours and three sixes before she was caught by Ellyse Perry off Mady Villiers at 15.4 overs.
Annabel Sutherland chipped in with a brisk 12 before she too fell to a catch—Villiers, the catcher and Gardner the bowler—while Marizanne Kapp was run out through a combined effort from Cheatle and Healy.
Danielle Gibson finished unbeaten on 7, helping the Stars close at a commanding 219/4 from 20 overs, a total that constantly kept the Sixers under pressure. The wicket-taking was scattered: Lauren Cheatle (1/44), Ashleigh Gardner (1/36) and Villiers (1/29) each picked up one, but nothing could slow the momentum created by Lanning’s dominance.
Rain interrupted the Sixers’ reply early, forcing a recalculation that left the Stars chasing a steep 154 from just 10 overs under the DLS method. What followed was a collapse of extraordinary scale. Sophia Dunkley fell first, bowled by Kim Garth for 5.
Alyssa Healy lasted only one ball before she was trapped lbw by Garth, and Ellyse Perry, despite striking two early boundaries in her nine, was also removed by Garth, bowled at 3.1 overs. Elsa Hunter became the fourth to fall—bowled once more by the relentless Garth—before Ashleigh Gardner was caught by Danielle Gibson off Sophie Day for 0.
Maitlan Brown briefly resisted with 6 before she was caught by Maisy Gibson off Day, and Mady Villiers (1) was taken by Georgia Prestwidge off Sutherland. Erin Burns fell next, caught by Jones off Sutherland for 1, and after Caoimhe Bray struck a clean 8, she too was removed, bowled by Maisy Gibson.
Lauren Kua added a late 5 but was run out by Moloney, and Caoimhe Bray was the last to get out, leaving the innings in disarray at 42 all out in 7.4 overs. The Sixers lost wickets so rapidly that only two batters reached double figures across the match.
With such a gulf between the sides, the outcome was beyond doubt early in the chase. The Stars completed a ruthless 111-run victory under the DLS method, a performance built on batting brilliance, disciplined bowling, and relentless pressure.
Appropriately, the evening belonged fully to Meg Lanning, whose record-setting, authoritative innings earned her the Player of the Match award and anchored a win that keeps the Stars firmly in the hunt while leaving the Sixers searching for answers.
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