Defending WBBL champions Sydney Thunder have finally secured their first win of the season after four losses, beating the Melbourne Stars by 19 runs in Launceston on Saturday.
Thunder's biggest partnership of the season, a second wicket stand of 81 between Phoebe Litchfield (49 off 42) and Tahlia Wilson (53 off 53), who notched her maiden WBBL half century, helped them to 5-133, their equal-highest score of the campaign.
Stars lost Meg Lanning for two and Annabel Sutherland for four inside the first three overs, but Maia Bouchier (20 off 23) and Elyse Villani (38 off 31) had them well placed at 2-69 after 10.4 overs.
But both fell to lbw decisions in the space of three balls bowled by Sam Bates (2-14) and Sammy-Jo Johnson, with Deepti Shah (3-25) also getting amongst the wickets as Stars lost 6-44 to finish on 8-114.
Earlier, the Melbourne Renegades made it three straight wins, beating the slumping Sydney Sixers by 12 runs at Lilac Hill in Perth.
The Renegades equalled their highest score of the season, making 7-142, with Jess Duffin hitting a personal season-best 41 not out off 32 balls and Indian star Harmanpreet Kaur striking 43 off 32.
The Sixers, who have lost three straight, hurt themselves with four run outs and some poor shot selections, with Ellyse Perry (28 off 28) the only top-order batter to get a start.
Maitlan Brown (31 off 20) and Shafali Verma (20 off 15) put on 50 for the sixth wicket, but the Renegades regained control after Ellie Falconer (2-28) dismissed them in the space of three balls in the 16th over.
The Sixers finished on 9-130.
