Two pivotal clashes headlined today’s WBBL 2025 action at the North Sydney Oval on Sunday, featuring four teams desperate for crucial points in the middle stages of the tournament. The first match saw the Adelaide Strikers continue the winless run of the struggling Brisbane Heat in a thrilling contest that went down to the final over.

The evening’s highly-anticipated Sydney Derby was a clash of local rivals, with the Sydney Sixers taking on the Sydney Thunder in a bid to secure their spot in the top half of the table, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive victory for the Sixers. The day delivered high-stakes T20 cricket, showcasing spectacular batting and vital bowling spells that significantly impacted the standings.

Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat: A final-over thriller

The Strikers produced a calm, calculated and ultimately dominant run-chase to defeat Heat by six wickets with two balls to spare in Match 30 of the WBBL 2025, a contest defined by Tahlia McGrath’s superb all-round impact. Chasing 150, the Strikers were powered by a commanding opening stand between Laura Wolvaardt and Tammy Beaumontwho dismantled the Heat attack with composed precision and clever strike rotation. Beaumont’s aggressive 64 off 40 balls, laced with eight fours and three sixes, set the tone of control, while Wolvaardt’s steady 49 ensured the chase never drifted into panic territory.

Even when the Heat briefly clawed back momentum by dismissing both openers in quick succession, McGrath held the innings together with a captain’s knock—an assured, risk-managed 24* off 24 balls. Her calmness under pressure allowed the Strikers to reset their chase, manipulate gaps, and drag the required rate back to manageable levels heading into the final overs. Grace Harris’ double strike threatened to complicate the closing stages, but Ellie Johnston’s late cameo, including a cleanly struck six, sealed the result with authority. Earlier, McGrath had already shaped the match with the ball, removing Lauren Winfield-Hill, Nadine de Klerk and Mikayla Wrigley in a fiery spell of 3/27, while also taking two crucial catches. Heat’s 149/9 was built around Charli Knott’s steady 27, de Klerk’s rapid 25 off 13, and Nicola Hancock’s explosive 22 off eight in the final over—but their total proved just short against a Strikers unit executing with clarity, composure, and a captain leading from the front in every discipline.

Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder: Ellyse Perry’s dominance

The Sixers secured a thrilling six-wicket victory over the Thunder in the derby clash, successfully chasing down a challenging target set by their rivals in a dominant display of batting depth, with Ellyse Perry earning Player of the Match honors. The Thunder, after being sent in to bat, endured a disastrous start to their innings, losing three wickets for just 24 runs inside the Powerplay, a collapse that immediately put them under severe pressure. However, a sensational and resilient partnership between Heather Knight and Anika Learoyd stabilized the innings and led a remarkable fightback, with Knight scoring a brilliant, rapid half-century. Their partnership grew to an outstanding 100 runs, guiding the Thunder to a highly competitive total of 174/6 from their 20 overs, a score that felt well above par considering their early struggles, with Knight finishing as the top scorer.

In response, the Sixers started their chase aggressively, with openers Sophia Dunkley and Ellyse Perry establishing a strong opening stand, erasing all early scoreboard pressure and setting the perfect platform for the big chase. Perry then took control, anchoring the innings with a composed and authoritative 77 runs off 44 balls, ensuring the Sixers maintained a high run rate and controlling the chase with expert precision. Even after the dismissal of Alyssa Healythe Sixers’ middle order kept the momentum, ultimately cruising past the target with six wickets in hand and five balls to spare, reaching 176/4 in 19.1 overs to seal a convincing victory and boost their standing in the WBBL table.

This article was first published at WomenCricket.coma Read company.