eight wickets to Brisbane Heat at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney on Wednesday (November 11). Disappointed with the team’s performance, teenager Rachel Trenaman, who top-scored for Thunder with a 30-ball 27, said the side were well short of a par total.
“It's disappointing to be frank,” Trenaman said after the match. “It wasn't close, really. It was disappointing,
we wanted to get over the line, wanted to post a bigger total. We probably short 20-25 runs .”
Thunder, who only a week ago were at the top of the points table alongside Sydney Sixers, have now slipped to second with 10 points, behind Melbourne Stars who are yet to taste defeat in the competition.
The Sydney-based club have so far ridden on performances from the experienced duo of Heather Knight and Rachael Haynes who have proved to be their batting centrepieces, racking up a combined total of 368 runs. The England skipper has been in particularly good form, notching up three fifties in the competition so far, including a Thunder record score of 83.
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“It's fantastic to have Trev (Knight) around the group. She's someone we've looked at in the top order,” Trenaman said. “We've had a few difficulties over the last few games, and Rach (Haynes) and Trev have held us together.”
“Chatting to her and taking some things from her innings building partnerships, hitting straight down the ground - especially on a wicket like this - is really important. Her input, knowledge, expertise into the group has been fantastic for everyone.”
The right-hand batter said that being able to the learn from such experienced campaigners, and the likes of Tammy Beaumont and Sammy-Jo Johnson, is something that has really excited her. She has been hanging on every bit of advice thrown her way.
“Whether it is 50-over cricket or 20-over cricket, leaning on someone like Tammy (Beaumont) who was my opening partner and then Trev at no. 3... Those girls - a steady head out in the middle - just reminding you of those little things - like singles every ball, doesn't need to be a big shot - is really valuable because you are going to take that with you for the rest of your career. Even little stuff off the sidelines about how you are going to attack the bowler, how you are going to play them - all that stuff is pure gold.”
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Trenaman, who is Thunder’s joint-second-highest run-getter with 117 runs to her credit has been moved up and down the order for the side, sometimes opening the batting, and sometimes, coming in to bat lower down the order. Against Heat, the 19-year-old walked in at No. 6 with her side stuttering at 47 for 4 in 9 overs. She then proceeded to share an important 34-run stand with Tahlia Wilson (11) for the sixth wicket, to help Thunder past the 100-run mark.
Speaking about the need to be versatile in the shortest format of the game, Trenaman said she was happy to have the opportunity to learn on the job and hopes to continue contributing to the success of the team.
“I think T20 cricket moves so quickly, and I think the situations you are going to bat are going to vary every game - especially at No. 6, the situation's going to change quite regularly,” she said. “I'm probably more comfortable in the middle order having done that more often. But I really enjoy the challenge of opening, it's quite new. Big Bash cricket is quite new to me even though I've been around for a little while. I guess it's about being flexible and just trying to expand my game a little bit.”
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