Thunder vs Heat WBBL|12: Knight 54*, Thunder Win by 6 Wkts
Published on November 1, 2026
Summary Overview: Sydney Thunder beat Brisbane Heat by 6 wickets with 20 balls to spare in WBBL|12 at Drummoyne Oval. Heather Knight made 54 not out off 29, Phoebe Litchfield 41 off 19 and Laura Harris 35 off 16 as the Thunder chased 179. Grace Harris and Georgia Redmayne hit fifties for the Heat.
Who won? Sydney Thunder, by 6 wickets with 20 balls to spare at Drummoyne Oval, Sydney. Brisbane Heat made 178 for 5, and the Thunder reached 180 for 4 in 16.4 overs.
Who starred? Heather Knight made 54 not out off 29 balls, captain Phoebe Litchfield hit 41 off 19, and Laura Harris smashed 35 off 16. For the Heat, Grace Harris (58) and captain Georgia Redmayne (57) both made fifties.
What does it mean? The Thunder have won both of their games and go top of the WBBL|12 table. The Heat have lost both of theirs.
Match Report: A High-Scoring Afternoon in Sydney
For readers new to cricket: in a T20 match, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries). A team wins by wickets when it chases down the target. In the WBBL, the batting team also gets a two-over Power Surge, when fewer fielders are allowed outside the circle.
Heat's Innings: Grace Harris and Redmayne Add 99
Redmayne won the toss and chose to bat. Sam Bates bowled Charli Knott for 16, but Grace Harris and Georgia Redmayne then took control with a stand of 99 off 65 balls.
Harris hit seven fours and two sixes in 58 off 37 before Georgia Voll had her caught by Hannah Darlington. Voll then caught and bowled Yastika Bhatia in the same over, leaving the Heat 120 for 3.
Redmayne made 57 off 44, her second fifty in two games, before Lauren Bell removed her, and Orla Prendergast (28 off 20) helped lift the Heat to 178 for 5.
Thunder's Chase: Litchfield Starts, Knight Finishes
Prendergast removed Voll for 2, but captain Phoebe Litchfield hit back with 41 off 19 balls, with six fours and a six, before Lily Bassingthwaighte removed her at 54 for 2.
Anika Learoyd (37 off 28) and Heather Knight added 63 off 39 balls, and then Knight and Laura Harris took the game away with 59 off just 24 balls. Harris hit six fours and a six in 35 off 16. Knight finished on 54 not out off 29, with seven fours and two sixes, and Nadine de Klerk hit the winning boundary from her only ball.
Turning Point: The Knight and Laura Harris Stand
At 117 for 3 after 12.3 overs, the Thunder still needed 62 from 45 balls. Knight and Harris scored 59 in 24 balls, turning a tight chase into a comfortable win.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
| Heather Knight | Sydney Thunder | 54* (29), 7 fours, 2 sixes |
| Phoebe Litchfield (c) | Sydney Thunder | 41 (19), 6 fours, 1 six |
| Anika Learoyd | Sydney Thunder | 37 (28), 2 sixes |
| Laura Harris | Sydney Thunder | 35 (16), 6 fours, 1 six |
| Georgia Voll | Sydney Thunder | 2 for 25 (3 overs) |
| Grace Harris | Brisbane Heat | 58 (37), 7 fours, 2 sixes |
| Georgia Redmayne (c, wk) | Brisbane Heat | 57 (44), 4 fours, 1 six |
| Lily Bassingthwaighte | Brisbane Heat | 2 for 31 (3.4 overs) |
* not out
How the Game Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Grace Harris and Redmayne stand | 99 off 65 balls for the 2nd wicket |
| Voll's double strike | Heat 118 for 1 to 120 for 3 |
| Heat total | 178 for 5 (20 overs) |
| Litchfield's fast start | Thunder 54 for 2 (6 overs) |
| Learoyd and Knight stand | 63 off 39 balls for the 3rd wicket |
| Knight and Laura Harris stand | 59 off 24 balls for the 4th wicket |
| Thunder win | 180 for 4 (16.4 overs) |
Powerplay Comparison
| Team | First 4 overs |
| Brisbane Heat | 32 for 1 |
| Sydney Thunder | 25 for 1 |
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| Sydney Thunder | Phoebe Litchfield (c), Georgia Voll, Anika Learoyd, Heather Knight, Nadine de Klerk, Tahlia Wilson (wk), Laura Harris, Jemma Barsby, Hannah Darlington, Lauren Bell, Sam Bates |
| Brisbane Heat | Grace Harris, Charli Knott, Georgia Redmayne (c, wk), Yastika Bhatia, Orla Prendergast, Lucy Hamilton, Annie O'Neil, Sianna Ginger, Sarah Glenn, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Ayaka Kato-Stafford |
Changes: the Thunder brought in Jemma Barsby for Hasrat Gill. The Heat brought in India's Yastika Bhatia for Lucinda Bourke.
WBBL|12 Table After Match 6
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | Net Run Rate |
| Sydney Thunder | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +1.605 |
| Perth Scorchers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +3.422 |
| Adelaide Strikers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +1.050 |
| Sydney Sixers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +0.150 |
| Melbourne Stars | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -0.075 |
| Brisbane Heat | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -0.891 |
| Hobart Hurricanes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -0.900 |
| Melbourne Renegades | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2.265 |
Net run rate compares how fast a team scores with how fast its opponents score.
What's Next
| Match | Date | Fixture | Venue | Local | IST |
| 7 | Sun, Nov 1 | Sydney Sixers vs Hobart Hurricanes | Drummoyne Oval, Sydney | 7:10 PM AEDT | 1:40 PM |
| 14 | Sat, Nov 7 | Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes | Allan Border Field, Brisbane | 6:10 PM AEST | 1:40 PM |
| 15 | Sun, Nov 8 | Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder | North Sydney Oval, Sydney | 1:40 PM AEDT | 8:10 AM |
For Pakistan, subtract 30 minutes from the IST times. The Sydney Thunder also play Perth Scorchers on Thursday, November 5 at Drummoyne Oval (7:10 PM AEDT, 1:40 PM IST).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat?
- Sydney Thunder, by 6 wickets with 20 balls to spare.
Who top-scored?
- Grace Harris made 58 for the Heat, and Heather Knight 54 not out for the Thunder.
Who is top of the WBBL|12 table?
- Sydney Thunder, the only team with two wins.
How have Brisbane Heat started the season?
- With two defeats, to the Sydney Sixers off the last ball and to the Thunder.
When do the Thunder play next?
- Thursday, November 5, 2026, against Perth Scorchers at Drummoyne Oval.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers, WBBL|12: Sarah Coyte Hits the Last Ball for Four to Win It
📋 WBBL|12 Opening Day Results: Thunder and Stars Start With Wins
📋 WBBL 2026 Schedule: Full WBBL|12 Fixtures, Venues and Times