Athapaththu and Litchfield star as Thunder take derby against injury-hit Sixers

Phoebe Litchfield continued her impressive early-season form while Chamari Athapaththu began her Sydney Thunder stint with a key all-round display as they downed injury-hit rivals Sydney Sixers who have lost their first two games of the season.

Litchfield closed Thunder's batting display with consecutive sixes to reach a 28-ball fifty a few weeks after equalling the fastest T20I half-century against West Indies at the same venue.

Athapaththu, who was Thunder's fourth overseas signing, took 34 balls to reach her milestone on the ground where she plundered her career-best T20I score of 113 in 2019. She was only playing this game because Marizanne Kapp had not recovered from an illness picked up before leaving South Africa.

Sixers were selecting from just 12 fit players following the dramatic news of Alyssa Healy's hand injury picked up at home yesterday which has required surgery. Mathilda Carmichael also suffered a back strain in training and was unavailable, while bowler Gabby Sutcliffe was unfit, although they were able to welcome back captain Ellyse Perry after her over-rate suspension.

In Healy's absence there was more onus on Perry and for a short while she shone with six fours and a six in a 16-ball 31 before falling to Heather Knight. A huge moment followed two overs later Ash Gardner was brilliantly caught at midwicket by Olivia Porter, diving low to he right, off Athapaththu.

Athapaththu and Tahlia Wilson had laid the play for Thunder with an opening stand of 98 in 11 overs, which followed the first game of the day between Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers which brought more than 400 runs.

Sixers struck back when Jess Kerr claimed both openers in the same of four balls, but Litchfield and Knight then added 62 for the third wicket with Litchfield dominant. She lost strike in the final over until the last two deliveries and she took full advantage of them with two powerful swings down the ground off Lauren Cheatle.