Sydney Thunder 151 for 2 beated Melbourne Renegades 147 for 5 by eigth wickets. Athapaththu was the stars of the match.
Table of Contents
The winning against Melbourne Renegades
In October 26, 2023, 11th match of Women’s Big Bash League, Sydney Thunder had faced Melbourne Renegades, a team thrashing of defending champions Adelaide Strikers. But, by a star in Sydney team, Chamari Athapaththu smashed a brilliant half-century after she produced a disciplined performance with the ball as Sydney Thunder comprehensively beat Melbourne Renegades at a dismal Cricket Central ground and bring win to her team.
The result is Sydney Thunder 151 to 2 (Athapaththu 80) beat Melbourne Renegades 147 to 5 (Wareham 47*) by 8 points.
After taking 1 for 20 in four overs to help restrict Renegades, Athapaththu launched into the bowling in his whirlwind 54-ball 80 as Thunder reached their target in the 18th over.
Athapaththu’s performance
Athapaththu traded mainly in boundaries and nothing was more impressive than when she smashed offspinner Ella Hayward for a massive straight six to reach her half-century in style. She made it through to the round of 14, but Thunder continued their cheerful start to the season with back-to-back wins coming from last season’s wooden spoon.
Renegades had little to answer with the ball as they suffered defeat after beating defending champions Adelaide Strikers.
With rain falling throughout the day in Sydney, there were concerns about a possible postponement but the match started on schedule and the Thunder elected to play in gloomy and dreary conditions.
It wasn’t easy for the batsmen with seamer Marizanne Kapp on her season debut proving difficult to strike as the ball came off the wicket slowly.
Opener Hayley Matthews, who was yet to get going this tournament, backed her aggressive approach against Kapp but it was fraught with danger in difficult conditions. She got away with a skier that landed safety in the third over before a few balls later sent Kapp straight to cover.
Fast pacer Ebony Hoskin got off to a dream start after coming on in the seventh over when she was caught behind by Josie Dooley with a brilliant late delivery to touch the edge. With Kapp offering sage advice, the 20-year-old Hoskin showed no signs of nervousness and showed off her famous energy in an impressive debut.
Hoskin bowled just one more over in the innings as Thunder relied on Athapaththu’s accurate spin to bowl out Renegades.
The lost of Renegades
The Renegades were unable to get going in the first half of their innings when Tammy Beaumont brilliantly edged a direct throw from Phoebe Litchfield at cover. They turned to Harmanpreet Kaur and Courtney Webb after a near-century win against Strikers.
Harmanpreet’s fluid touch continued as she mocked the conditions with two boundaries off her first three balls before Athapaththu caught her behind after she played loose outside off stump. But Webb found much-needed support from Georgia Wareham in a 78-year partnership and they took advantage of Thunder’s increasingly fierce bowling and fielding.
Wareham attacked brilliantly on foot during the power surge and smashed three consecutive boundaries off seamer Hannah Darlington in the 15th over. Wareham needed a boundary off the final delivery to bring up a deserved half-century, but could only score a single.
Any confidence Renegades had in assembling a solid overall defense was quickly eroded by a rampaging Athapaththu as Thunder cruised to victory amid the drizzle.
In short, The Sri Lankan all-rounder successfully pulled off the short chase on a cool and hazy day. In this match, Athapaththu really deserve with the name The Resounding Thunder Of Sydney Thunder, she was play strong and Melbourne Renegades can’t have any idea to stop the “Resounding Thunder Of Sydney Thunder”.
For more news and updates visit ekcricket.
