In one of the most staggering collapses in Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) history, Sydney Sixers, led by skipper Ashleigh Gardner, slumped to 42 all out in 7.4 overs, the second-lowest total in the tournament’s history, against Melbourne Stars at the North Sydney Oval on November 20, 2025.
The match, played under intermittent rain, saw the Stars, captained by Annabel Sutherland, secure a mammoth 111-run victory in the 17th match of the ongoing 11th edition of the WBBL. With this loss, the Sixers now find themselves fifth on the table with four points from as many games, comprising two wins and two defeats, while the Stars have climbed to third with five points.
After Gardner opted to field first, the Melbourne Stars openers, veteran leader Meg Lanning and promising youngster Rhys McKenna, produced a record-breaking opening partnership worth 159 runs. Lanning, showing her class and authority in one of her finest WBBL innings, hammered an unbeaten 135 off just 74 deliveries, laced with 22 boundaries and four sixes. It was her career-best score in the league and set the tone for a commanding total. McKenna’s fluent 50 off 34 balls complemented Lanning perfectly, as the duo tore into the Sixers’ bowling attack.
Despite wickets from Maddy Villiers (1 for 29), Lauren Cheatle (1 for 44), and Ashleigh Gardner herself (1 for 36), the Sixers’ bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught. The Stars finished on a formidable 219 for 4 in their 20 overs, the highest team total in the ongoing edition of the tournament.
Chasing a mountainous 220, the Sixers’ innings unravelled dramatically. They stumbled to 21 for 4 within the first four overs before rain halted play. With the game shortened to a 10-over chase, the revised target of 154 still seemed steep, but few could have predicted the scale of the collapse that followed.
Kim Garth delivered a spell for the ages, producing figures of 2 overs, 1 maiden, 3 runs, and 4 wickets, decimating the top order. Sophie Day (2 for 6) and skipper Annabel Sutherland (2 for 7) maintained relentless pressure, while Maisy Gibson (1 for 4) applied the finishing touch by dismissing Caoimhe Bray to end the innings. None of the Sydney Sixers’ batters managed to reach double figures, a testament to the Stars’ ruthless bowling performance and disciplined fielding effort.
The Sixers’ 42 all out now stands as the second-lowest total in WBBL history. The unwanted record remains with the Melbourne Stars themselves, who were bundled out for just 29 against the Adelaide Strikers, led by Tahlia McGrath, at the Karen Rolton Oval on October 21, 2023. In a twist of fate, the same franchise responsible for the lowest total orchestrated the demolition that almost matched it two years later.
For the Sydney Sixers, the result marks a major setback in their campaign, raising questions about their batting depth and ability to adapt under pressure. Ashleigh Gardner’s side will need to regroup quickly to prevent this performance from derailing their season.
For the Stars, led astutely by Annabel Sutherland, this emphatic victory not only lifts them into the top three but also restores confidence after a mixed start to their tournament, featuring two wins, a loss to the Melbourne Renegades, and a washed-out fixture against the Adelaide Strikers. Meg Lanning’s record-breaking 135 earned her the Player of the Match award, underscoring her influence as one of the league’s most consistent match-winners.
As the WBBL unfolds, the night at North Sydney Oval will be remembered for contrasting narratives, Lanning’s sublime exhibition of batting dominance and the Sydney Sixers’ dramatic collapse that entered the league’s record books for all the wrong reasons.
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