Tryon-inspired Renegades hand Sixers first defeat of WBBL season
An all-round show from Ash Gardner went in vain as the Renegades got over the line off the final ball
Melbourne Renegades ended Sydney Sixers' unbeaten run in the Women's Big Bash League 2026, pulling off a thrilling two-wicket win at North Sydney Oval on the back of a decisive late assault from Chloe Tryon and captain Sophie Molineux. Chasing 153, the Renegades recovered from 61 for 5 to get over the line off the final ball, with Tryon's 23-ball 43 proving instrumental.
The Sixers had won all five of their previous games this season and looked to have done enough after posting 152 for 6. Ashleigh Gardner led their batting effort with a 31-ball 55, while Sophia Dunkley contributed 49 off 45 deliveries. The pair added 53 for the third wicket after the Sixers had lost Ellyse Perry and Melie Kerr, before Gardner's late acceleration helped them reach a competitive total. Georgia Wareham was the pick of the Renegades' bowlers, finishing with 3 for 19.
Gardner then carried her form into the second innings, as her strikes left the visitors precariously placed at 44 for 4. Wareham's dismissal at 61 for 5 in the 12th over left the Renegades needing a substantial recovery.
Molineux provided the impetus, striking seven boundaries in her 25-ball 38 to keep the chase alive. She found an ideal partner in Tryon, who shifted the momentum decisively with an aggressive counterattack. The duo added 48 off just 27 deliveries, with Tryon contributing 32 of those runs from 16 balls. Their partnership took the Renegades to within touching distance before Molineux fell at 108.
Tryon continued to keep the scoring rate up alongside Tess Flintoff, adding another 28 off 15 balls. The Renegades needed to score 13 off the final over to clinch the game Tryon found a six and a four off the second and third balls of the final over bowled by Gardner but was dismissed off the fourth. Milly Illingworth tied the scores with a single off the penultimate ball before Nicole Faltum found a boundary off the final ball, handing the Sixers their first defeat of the campaign despite captain Gardner's all-round effort of 55 and 4 for 33.
Brief scores: Sydney Sixers 152/6 in 20 overs (Ash Gardner 55, Sophia Dunkley 49; Georgia Wareham 3-19) lost to Melbourne Renegades 156/8 in 20 overs (Chloe Tryon 43, Sophie Molineux 38; Ash Gardner 4-33) by two wickets.
