Cricket

Brisbane Heat's Grace Parsons emerged as a star in her second WBBL match, leading her team to a historic 28-run victory over Melbourne Renegades. The 21-year-old legspinner claimed 3 for 22 in four overs, turning the tide after Renegades had started strongly in pursuit of Heat's 169 for 8.Parsons' heroics marked the first time in WBBL history that Heat had begun a season with consecutive wins. Renegades had made a blistering start thanks to Hayley Matthews' 35 off 28, but Parsons' double-wicket maiden in her opening over halted their momentum.The turning point came when Deandra Dottin was controversially given out lbw after the ball deflected off her glove onto her pad. Despite Dottin's call for a review, the absence of DRS in this match proved costly for Renegades.Courtney Webb's run-out and Sophie Molineux's dismissal in the 10th over further compounded Renegades' woes, leaving them reeling at 71 for 5. Shikha Pandey's excellent bowling continued to restrict Renegades, despite Naomi Stalenberg's quickfire 38.Parsons' performance was particularly impressive given her shoulder injury last year, which sidelined her for the entire WBBL season despite being Queensland's leading wicket-taker in the WNCL. Her talent has earned her a spot in Australia A against India, signaling a promising future.Parsons credits her development to former Heat legspinner Amelia Kerr and spin bowling coach Cameron Boyce. "Learning off Amelia the last three years has been really special," she said. "Our spin bowling coach at the Heat is amazing, and it's been cool to pick his brain."Earlier, Georgia Redmayne and Lauren Winfield-Hill had set the innings up with a 66-run partnership. Redmayne's stylish square drives and Winfield-Hill's strike rotation kept the scoreboard ticking. Charli Knott and Dottin's dismissals threatened to derail Heat, but Laura Harris' quickfire 31 during the power surge boosted the total.Jess Jonassen's unbeaten 25 helped Heat reach a competitive 169 for 8, which proved too much for Renegades despite Parsons' heroics.

Australia A's depth was on full display as they clinched the T20 series against India A with an emphatic eight-wicket victory. Legspinner Grace Parsons and quick Nicola Hancock, both making their Australia A debuts, played pivotal roles in the triumph.Parsons, a 20-year-old Brisbane Heat WBBL squad member, made a stunning T20 debut, claiming four wickets for just 30 runs in her eight overs. She dismissed India A's top-scorer Priya Punia (29) and wrapped up her spell with two wickets in three balls.Hancock, a late addition to the squad, also impressed, taking the first wicket and conceding only 14 runs from her three overs. Her dismissal of Shweta Sehrawat, caught by Nicole Faltum, set the tone for India A's struggles.India A's batting faltered, losing wickets at regular intervals. They lost three wickets for just 10 runs between the 11th and 13th overs, failing to build any momentum.Australia A's chase was controlled by Tahlia Wilson, who scored her second consecutive half-century. Captain Tahlia McGrath, who had been dismissed for a duck in the first match, provided support with a flurry of boundaries. The pair put on an unbroken 69-run stand to seal the victory with ten deliveries to spare.Parsons and Hancock's impressive debuts highlight the depth of talent available to Australia A. Their performances, along with Wilson's consistent batting, have given the team a strong foundation for the future.