ON DAY two of the inaugural T20 Spring Challenge, it was the century from Lizelle Lee for the Hobart Hurricanes, as well as sublime knocks from captains Chloe Piparo and Carly Leeson that were the highlight of the four games.

ACT Meteors 4-147 (20.0) defeated Melbourne Stars 109 (16.3)

The first game of the day brought about a sensational innings by ACT Meteor skipper Leeson, which propelled her side to their second win of the competition.

This game was a phenomenal performance for the ACT, decimating the Stars by 38 runs, keeping them from completing the low total run chase.

After opener Paris Bowdler was given out first ball, the Meteors looked in trouble at 2-29 after the first three overs. Enter Leeson, accompanied by Shivani Mehta, who stuck at the crease to during a hard time for the batters, to launch at the back half of the innings.

Leeson top-scored in the contest with 68 not out off 47 balls, which included 12 fours.

Mehta (40 off 52) did enough to assist her side in getting to their 147 runs, with Grace Lyons (17 off 14) and Angelina Genford (two off five) not able to carry out the batting.

In the chase, many Stars players got a start although they struggled to capitalise on it.

Maisy Gibson hit the highest score of 18 not out for Melbourne, which encapsulates their innings. Opener Olivia Henry was out for a duck which didn’t help matters, but then six balls later it was Meg Lanning that went for 14.

They never really got going due to the bowling of ACT pair Grace Dignam (3/16 off 2.3 overs) and Holly Ferling (3/25 off four).

Melbourne Renegades 3-169 defeated by Perth Scorchers 9-170 (19.3)

The match between the Renegades and the Scorchers was a close one, with Perth able to win despite losing nine wickets. Their captain Piparo was the hero and with the win, they were able to get their first points on the board in the tournament.

Chasing 169, the Scorchers were in all sorts early, when Piparo went in to bat, her side had made a measly 3-38. She made 82 runs not out off just 47 balls, which included 12 fours and a six.

All around her the wickets fell with Mikayla Hinkley (11 runs), Rebecca McGrath (two) , Lilly Mills (13) , Stella Campbell (four) , Zoe Britcliffe (no runs) and Charis Bekker (11) unable to hold down the other end. However it was Shay Manolini (three off two) that was able to see out the innings to ensure Piparo had a partner to steer them to the win.

For the Renegades, it was their captain Sarah Coyte that was damaging early with the ball, taking 3-19 with the wickets of Bhavisha Devchand, Britcliffe and Bekker. In the batting innings, Nicole Faltum and Ella Hayward produced a 51-run partnership unbeaten before the innings break.

Sydney Sixers 5-147 defeated Brisbane Heat 9-144

At North Sydney Oval, another thriller was played out with the Sydney Sixers able to notch up their first win of the tournament. They took out the win by three runs over the Brisbane Heat.

For the Sixers it was youngster Elsa Hunter (39 off 29) and experienced captain Mathilda Carmichael (41 off 39) that started strong for the side, despite the early wicket of wicketkeeper Kate Pelle.

Kate Peterson and Frankie Nicklin saw out the final two overs of their innings with 21 runs combined to take their total to 147 for the Heat’s chase.

Considering the display from Heat batter Laura Harris on day one, it was pleasing for the Sixers that they snagged her wicket in the first over, courtesy of rising star Caoimhe Bray.

Despite this, it was opener Georgia Redmayne that got off to a flier, making 41 off 31 balls. However Redmayne was gone by the 10th over, which made the job harder.

Mikayla Wrigley stepped up there after, hitting a quick-fire 25 runs alongside Nicola Hancock‘s run-a-ball 21 but needing 12 runs from the final over, they were not going to be able to chase the Sixers down.

Adelaide Strikers (137) defeated by Hobart Hurricanes 5-141 (18.1)

In the final game at Karen Rolton Oval, it was the visitors that emerged victorious against the Adelaide Strikers.

The Hobart Hurricanes trio of batter Lee, as well as veteran bowlers Molly Strano and Nicola Carey that were the kingpins in the contest.

Lee’s 112 not out that made their run chase easy, with no Hurricane coming close to making as much impact with the bat. Her knock featured her trademark boundary-hitting ability with 17 fours and four sixes included.

Fellow opener Ruth Johnston was out bowled out for nought by the ever-impressive youngster Eleanor Larosa. With Carey, Elyse Villani, Tabatha Saville and Emma Manix-Geeves combining for just 13 runs, the Strikers bowling attack was on song throughout the innings with Lee just able to clear boundaries to get the total up.

Strano pitched in with the second-highest score for Hobart, finishing with 13 not out.

For the Strikers’ bowlers, although expensive Courtney Neale was able to dismiss Carey and Villani cheaply, while Larosa, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby all took single wickets.

Adelaide had a poor showing at their home ground in the batting innings, producing just 137 on the small pitch. With Katie Mack and Ellie Johnston making just 13 and 15 respectively, it was the newly promoted Larosa that was the highest scoring batter in blue.

She hit a slow 31 runs off 38 balls, not helping to accelerate their run rate which didn’t help matters. Their innings was rounded out by Bridget Patterson‘s 16 off 19, Annie O’Neil‘s 15 off 13 and Wellington’s 12 off nine. Barsby provided some resistance with 15 off 11 but it was too little, too late.

After their dismissals, Paris Hall (golden duck), Maggie Clark (two off four) and Anesu Mushangwe (three off three), that were unable to contribute as tail-enders leaving Neale stranded on four not out.