Same Opponent, Three Days Later: Can the Renegades Find the 12 Runs They Were Missing at Junction Oval?
On Thursday the Sixers made 140 for 6 and bowled the Renegades out for 129. Now the rematch moves to North Sydney Oval, a smaller ground and a Sunday-morning start. The Sixers are five from five; the Renegades have lost three of five and need the points to stay in touch with the top four.
Sydney Sixers — winning without their best day
Thursday's win at Junction Oval said a lot about this Sixers side. Ellyse Perry made 30 off 41 balls, slower than she would like, and the Sixers finished on only 140 for 6. In other seasons, that might not have been enough. But Amelia Kerr made 53 off 34 to give them a total, and then the bowlers did the rest. Ash Gardner took 3 for 13 in three overs, Lauren Cheatle 2 for 20, and the Renegades were all out for 129.
That makes it five wins from five. The Sixers are second on ten points, level with the Scorchers and behind only on net run rate (+1.156 to +1.469). Gardner now has 246 runs and 11 wickets, and Perry has 234 runs. When one of the big names has a quiet day, someone else has stepped up, and that is the mark of a side that wins titles.
A possible XI, the same as Thursday's: Sophia Dunkley, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Amelia Kerr, Alice Capsey, Erin Burns, Eva Ragg, Lauren Cheatle, Caoimhe Bray, Sarah Coyte, Frankie Nicklin. There seems little reason to change it.
Melbourne Renegades — close, but not close enough
The Renegades will feel they let Thursday's game go. They held the Sixers to 140, with Milly Illingworth taking 2 for 24 and Georgia Wareham giving away only 21 in four overs. Then the top order went cheaply: Hayley Matthews for 1, Courtney Webb for 7. Tess Flintoff made 44 off 31 balls from No. 7 to keep them in it, but nobody stayed with her long enough.
That defeat leaves them sixth, with four points from five games and a net run rate of -0.528. The middle of the table is tight, so one win can still change a lot, but the Renegades need their batting to fire the way it did against the Strikers, when they made 188 for 3. Matthews and Wareham were their two leading run-scorers going into Thursday, and the Renegades probably need at least one of them to make a big score here.
A possible XI, based on Thursday's side: Olivia Porter, Hayley Matthews, Courtney Webb, Sophie Molineux, Nicole Faltum (wk), Georgia Wareham, Tess Flintoff, Chloe Tryon, Deandra Dottin, Milly Illingworth, Tayla Vlaeminck. After Thursday's collapse, they could make a change at the top, but that is only a guess.
The table and the form
| Sydney Sixers | 2nd — P5 W5 L0, 10 pts, NRR +1.156 |
| Melbourne Renegades | 6th — P5 W2 L3, 4 pts, NRR -0.528 |
| Thursday at Junction Oval | Sixers 140/6 beat Renegades 129 by 11 runs |
| Amelia Kerr | 53 off 34 on Thursday |
| Ash Gardner | 246 runs, 11 wickets; 3 for 13 on Thursday |
| Ellyse Perry | 234 runs |
| Tess Flintoff | 44 off 31 on Thursday |
Table as of Thursday, November 12; the weekend's earlier games may change the positions.
Pitch and conditions — a small ground in the morning
North Sydney Oval has short boundaries and a quick outfield, so totals here are usually higher than at Junction Oval. An 11am start means the pitch may have a little early moisture, and the first few overs could favour the new ball before it settles into a good batting surface. Around 160 may be a par score.
That could help the Renegades. Their bowling did its job on Thursday, and a ground where batters can score more freely may suit Matthews, Wareham and Dottin. But a smaller ground also helps the Sixers' batting, which goes deep, and Gardner's off-spin has been hard to hit all season.
The verdict
The Sixers have won every game, including the tight ones, and they won this exact fixture three days ago without playing their best cricket. That is why we lean towards them, with some confidence.
But Thursday was an 11-run game, and the Renegades will have learned a lot from it. If their top order lasts the first six overs and Flintoff gets to bat with time, this rematch could go the other way. Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades, WBBL 2026, North Sydney Oval — Sunday, November 15, 11:00 AM AEDT / 5:30 AM IST.