Melbourne Stars displayed a tremendous all-round performance and defeated table topper Hobart Hurricanes by 37 runs in an important match. WBBL|11 Wednesday’s encounter at the Junction Oval. The emphatic win not only handed the Hurricanes their second consecutive loss, but also moved the Stars up to second in the standings, making the race for the top two spots tight as the tournament passed its halfway point.
Amy Jones anchors Melbourne Stars’ total of 151/6
After Hobart elected to bowl, the Stars faced early problems against the England wicketkeeper-batsman amy jones Carried the innings forward with a brilliant half-century. Coming on during a tense period of play, Jones displayed impeccable timing and composure as he scored 59 runs from 40 balls with six fours and a six.
His controlled innings helped rebuild the momentum, especially after the Stars lost crucial wickets in the powerplay.
Jones received excellent support from Danielle Gibson, who arrived at the crease in the 14th over with the score at 91/4. Together they put on a quickfire partnership of 44 runs, which brought the attack on the Hurricanes bowlers and put the pressure back on the fielding side.
Gibson’s aggressive 39 off 27 balls provided the perfect finishing kick, taking the Stars to a competitive 151/6.
For the Hurricanes, Nicola Carey was the standout bowler, taking 2 for 29, including two breakthroughs in the middle two overs to momentarily slow the Stars’ lead.
Marijan Kapp and Sophie Day sink the Hobart Hurricanes
Chasing 152, Hobart’s innings quickly collapsed under the pressure of Marizanne Kapp’s flamboyant new ball. The South African fast bowler dismissed dangerous opener Lizelle Lee on the very first ball of the innings. She returned moments later by dismissing Danielle Wyatt-Hodge and putting the Hurricanes on the backfoot at 16/2.
Kapp then displayed his athleticism in the field and took a sharp catch to send back Nicola Carey, further derailing Hobart’s target of 59/6.
Captains Elise Villani and Hayley Silver-Holmes attempted to rebuild with a strong 40-run partnership for the seventh wicket, giving hope for a brief turnaround. But the Stars bowling unit remained relentless.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Day was the standout performer, taking a brilliant spell of 4/17 down the order, her flow and accuracy proving too much for the Hurricanes tail.
Stars captain Annabel Sutherland also played a key role and dismissed Villani at a crucial juncture to decide Hobart’s fate. Hurricane was out for 114 runs With 22 balls remaining, we fell far short of the target.
Great bowling performance by Melbourne Stars🔥#MelbourneStars #wbbl pic.twitter.com/Uqnj20cWVE
– WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) 26 November 2025
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player of the match
Amy Jones’ match-winning half-century – her first WBBL half-century since 2022 – earned her the Player of the Match award. His calm steady presence and late acceleration laid the foundation for the Stars’ total, while the power hitting of Gibson and the disciplined bowling of Cupp, Day and Sutherland ensured a comprehensive victory.
5️⃣0️⃣ up for Amy Jones#AmyJones #wbbl pic.twitter.com/pxQC6o9RN5
– WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) 26 November 2025
With their third consecutive win, the Stars move ahead in the title race and enter the Melbourne Derby with confidence. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes, who started the season with five consecutive wins, now face increasing pressure to stop their decline as rivals move into the top-two spots.
Also read: Laura Wolvaardt shines in Adelaide Strikers’ thrilling win over Brisbane Heat in WBBL.11
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
