Sydney Thunder will look to bounce back in Tuesday’s WBBL clash against Melbourne Stars.
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The Thunder posted a then-record score of 6-200 in Saturday’s season-opener against Melbourne Renegades, before falling to reigning champions Sydney Sixers.
The Sixes grabbed the record mark only three hours later than the Thunder by belting 4-242 against the Stars, who also lost their second game.
“Well, I think the wicket (on Saturday) was pretty good to bat on and I must say it’s a plus really,” Thunder’s West Indian international Stafanie Taylor said at the family fun day at Wodonga’s Kelly Park, in front of hundreds of children.
“I think it’s just the mind really, players going out there want this T20 to be exciting and bigger than last series.”
The Sixers again showed they’re the team to beat when they chased down Thunder’s 142.
“I think we just missed out by 10 or 15 runs,” Taylor said.
“We bowled really good to get them down to the line of just one over, seven, eight balls to go.”
The Stars ran into a rampant Sixers in their first game.
Ashleigh Gardner’s 114 from only 52 balls was the highest score in Big Bash history, of either gender.
Sixers’ captain Ellyse Perry joined in the run feast with 91 and the Stars are already under pressure to kick-start their season.
“Well, we’re not underestimating any team, I think all the teams have really good players and (the Stars) are a good team,” Taylor said.
“We don’t want to focus too much on them and focus on what we need to do as a team.”
Taylor is one of three internationals in the classy Thunder outfit.
Indian superstar Harmanpreet Kaur knocked Australia out of the World Cup earlier this year with an undefeated 171, the third 50 coming off just 17 balls, while Rachel Priest is a New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter.
“Yeah, the standard has lifted with overseas players, it’s a big contribution of that,” Taylor said.
The trio will be joined by Australia’s Ashes-retaining captain Rachael Haynes and long-time national star Alex Blackwell, who produced a composed 58 from 52 balls against the Sixers.
Blackwell, who grew up at Yenda, just near Griffith, has played 144 one-day and 95 T20 internationals.
World Cup representative Kristen Beams will captain the Stars, while hard-hitting South African Lizelle Lee and former Australian all-rounder Erin Osborne will need to feature if the Stars are to cause an upset.
The Thunder won last year’s inaugural Border Bash.
The match starts at the Lavington Sportsground from 2pm.