Well, that was something else. If you tuned into the WBBL clash at Drummoyne Oval expecting a tight contest, you were in for a serious shock. The Melbourne Renegades absolutely bulldozed the Sydney Thunder in a performance that sent them soaring to second on the ladder. It was a masterclass in bowling from the Renegades, who skittled the Thunder for a jaw-droppingly low score of just 64 before chasing it down with barely a sweat.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Sydney Thunder were completely dismantled, bowled out for just 64 runs in 17 overs.
- ✓ Melbourne Renegades cruised to victory by eight wickets with a whopping 8.5 overs left to play.
- ✓ The incredible Georgia Wareham was the chief destroyer, taking 3 wickets for only 12 runs.
- ✓ Sophie Molineux (29*) and Alice Capsey (24) made light work of the chase for the Renegades.
- ✓ The result marked Thunder's fourth loss and the second time this season they've been beaten by the Renegades.
A Collapse of Epic Proportions
Coming into this game, the Thunder were riding high. They had momentum. They had back-to-back wins. But you wouldn't have known it watching their innings unfold. It all started with a bit of a spark when Georgia Voll hit a couple of quick boundaries off Milly Illingworth, but that flame was extinguished almost immediately. Illingworth got her revenge, and from there, the wickets just started tumbling.
Here's the thing about a batting collapse—it happens fast. Chais Bekker was next to strike, taking the huge wicket of Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield. Not content with that, Bekker sent Tahlia Wilson packing in her next over, and suddenly the Renegades were all over them. The Thunder were in deep, deep trouble, and the Renegades could smell blood in the water.
The Middle-Order Tumble
Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, it did. The 10th over was an absolute nightmare for Sydney, as Alice Capsey decided to join the party and picked up two wickets of her own. A few overs later, it was Georgia Wareham's turn to completely dismantle what was left of the Thunder's batting lineup. She was simply unplayable, finishing with stunning figures of 3 for 12.
The final nail in the coffin came when Sophie Molineux had Shabnim Ismail stumped, and just like that, the innings was over. The Thunder were all out for 64 in just 17 overs. To put it in perspective, only two of their batters, Heather Knight (20) and Anika Learoyd (13), even managed to get into double figures. It was a brutal, clinical, and utterly dominant display from the Renegades' bowlers.
The Effortless Renegades Chase
With a tiny target of 65 to win, the Renegades' job was pretty straightforward: don't do what the Thunder just did. They did have a little wobble early on, losing Courtney Webb and then Emma de Broughe, which might have given Thunder a sliver of hope. But that hope was quickly crushed by the calm and collected pair of Sophie Molineux and Alice Capsey.
These two came to the crease and just took control. They weren't messing around. Molineux finished unbeaten on 29 from just 22 balls, while Capsey supported her perfectly with 24 off 20. The scorecard shows they scored boundaries in "almost every over," which tells you everything you need to know about their intent. They wanted to get this done quickly and emphatically, and they did just that, cantering home with eight wickets and 53 balls to spare.
A Tale of Two Unchanged Squads
What makes this result even more fascinating is the context leading up to it. Both teams went into the game with unchanged 13-player squads, but their mindsets couldn't have been more different. The Thunder were flying high after a dominant 41-run win over Brisbane Heat. Their star performer, Tahlia Wilson, had just blasted 79 off 51 balls, becoming the 46th player in WBBL history to cross the 1000-run mark.
Coach Keightley was confident, stating the squad had started to "build momentum that can get us our third straight win." They were backing themselves to continue their good form, especially on their return home to Drummoyne Oval. On the flip side, the Renegades were coming off a narrow, rain-affected loss to the Hurricanes. They were looking to bounce back and get their season, which stood at a 3-2 record, back on track.
And here's a little nugget of foreshadowing for you. The last time these two teams met, on November 11, it was none other than Georgia Wareham who delivered a Player of the Match performance to spearhead the win. It seems she just has the Thunder's number this season. This wasn't just a random collapse; it was a continuation of dominance from Wareham and her Renegades teammates.
Conclusion
The bottom line is, this was a statement game for the Melbourne Renegades. Their collective bowling effort was simply sensational, exposing every weakness in a Thunder batting lineup that, on paper, looked full of confidence. The Thunder's shocking fold for just 64 runs will be a tough pill to swallow, especially after coming into the match with so much momentum.
For the Renegades, this comprehensive eight-wicket win not only gives them bragging rights and the season double over the Thunder, but it also crucially lifts them into second place on the WBBL 2025 standings. It was a day where one team's confidence shattered against another's clinical execution, proving once again how quickly fortunes can change in T20 cricket.
