Sydney Thunder defeated Melbourne Renegades by six wickets as Anika Learoyd starred with the bat in the WBBL season opener.

Annabel Sutherland delivered an all-round performance to help Melbourne Stars beat Hobart Hurricanes by 18 runs in the second match.

The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2026 season began with a double-header at Junction Oval on Thursday, October 29. Sydney Thunder faced Melbourne Renegades in the opening match, followed by a contest between Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes. Both winning teams made a positive start to their campaigns with strong performances from their key players.

Thunder chased down 139 with six wickets in hand, while the Stars defended a total of 192/4 to secure an 18-run victory. Anika Learoyd starred in Thunder’s successful chase, while Annabel Sutherland made valuable contributions with both bat and ball for the Stars.

Anika Learoyd guides Sydney Thunder to victory

Melbourne Renegades scored 138/9 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Hayley Matthews top-scored with 45 off 30 balls, sharing a 56-run opening stand with Courtney Webb. Georgia Wareham added 23 off 19 deliveries, but the Renegades suffered a late collapse. Georgia Voll led Thunder’s bowling attack with 4/26 and also contributed to a run-out. The Renegades lost five wickets for just two runs across seven balls in the 17th and 18th overs, leaving Thunder with a manageable target.

In reply, Thunder reached 140/4 in 17 overs. Voll scored 25 off 18 balls before Learoyd struck 48 off 37 deliveries, including nine boundaries. She shared a 62-run third-wicket partnership with Heather Knight, who helped accelerate the chase during the power surge. Knight and Nadine de Klerk completed the win with 18 balls remaining.

Sydney Thunder make a statement in the #WBBL12 season opener and won the match with 3 overs to spare ⚡#SydneyThunder pic.twitter.com/2U19Y66CkP

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) October 29, 2026

Annabel Sutherland powers Melbourne Stars to an 18-run win

Melbourne Stars posted 192/4 after Hobart Hurricanes elected to field first. Meg Lanning anchored the innings with 71 off 52 balls, while captain Sutherland smashed an unbeaten 57 off 36 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes. Dani Gibson added a quick 22 off 11 balls.

Heather Graham was the Hurricanes’ leading bowler with 2/31. During the chase, Lizelle Lee kept Hobart in contention with 57 off 33 balls, striking six fours and three sixes. However, Kim Garth dismissed Chamari Athapaththu for 10 before removing Lee, who was caught by Lanning.

Nicola Carey contributed 32 off 25 balls and Graham scored 20, but the Stars controlled the closing overs. Charlie Dean conceded just 13 runs in four overs and took one wicket, while Sutherland claimed 3/34. Hobart finished on 174/8, falling 18 runs short, as Sutherland’s all-round display earned her the Player of the Match award.

Job done! 🚀

– Melbourne Stars win by 18 runs against Hobart Hurricanes ✅#WBBL12 #WomensCricket pic.twitter.com/JhzFybsZvV

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) October 29, 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.