YESTERDAY in the WBBL was a successful one for those from Sydney, with both the Thunder and Sixers picking up wins.

Thunder survive nail biter

The Sydney Thunder strongly defended a low total to defeat the Melbourne Stars by four runs.

After the Thunder were bowled out for 125, the Stars fell agonisingly short but could only make 9/121.

The Thunder really struggled to get any meaningful partnerships going as the Stars bowlers really did star. The biggest partnership of the whole innings was the opening one of 30 between Tahlia Wilson and Chamari Athapaththu.

However it was Heather Knight who top scored for the Thunder, making 45.

On the flipside Sophie Day again continued her stellar form this season, picking up four wickets for the Stars, while Rhys McKenna and Annabel Sutherland each picked up three.

The Stars had a strong start to their chase, but then the hosts were able to serve a dose of the Stars’ own medicine to them as the wickets started to tumble.

However it ultimately came down to the final over. The Stars needed nine but could only manage four, handing their northern neighbours the win.

A big hitting late cameo from Milly Illingworth (14 not out) helped get the Stars close, but it was Alice Capsey who earlier top scored with 27.

Meanwhile for the Thunder Hannah Darlington again starred, taking five wickets.

Clinical bowling helps Sixers down Hurricanes

The Sydney Sixers have continued their charge up the WBBL ladder, this time defeating the Hobart Hurricanes by 57 runs.

After they made 8/166, the Sixers bowled out the Hurricanes for just 109.

After a somewhat slow start to their innings, the Sixers got things going at about the six over mark when Ash Gardner and Chloe Tryon put on a 73 run partnership for the fourth wicket. It was that partnership that truly helped the Sixers get the score they did.

Tryon ultimately top scored with 40, while Suzie Bates made 35 not out.

Meanwhile Heather Graham was the star with ball in hand for the Hurricanes, taking three wickets, while Shabnim Ismail took two.

In the chase the Hurricanes were in trouble from just about the get go, falling to 3/19 not even halfway through the fifth over.

With Lauren Cheatle, Linsey Smith and Tryon (two wickets each) all bowling strongly, things never really improved from there for the Hurricanes and they were ultimately all bowled out in the 17th over. The top scorer for the Hurricanes was ultimately Naomi Stalenberg with 36, but she and Graham were the only ones to make a double figure score for the Hurricanes.