Stand-in Australian captain Rachael Haynes shot the Sydney Thunder to the top of the women's Big Bash standings after posting an unbeaten 78 to steer her side to a nine-wicket win over the struggling Melbourne Stars.
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Haynes pounded four sixes and five boundaries to notch her highest WBBL score amidst a backdrop of 38-degree heat at Penrith's Howell Oval as the Thunder's international firepower came to the fore again.
New Zealand wicketkeeper Rachel Priest helped herself to 42 runs opening the batting, putting on 95 with Haynes for the opening wicket.
Australian veteran Alex Blackwell finished on six not out while West Indian all-rounder Stafanie Taylor and Indian superstar Harmanpreet Kaur were not required.
This was Haynes' third half-century in four matches to start the season, and she is the leading run-scorer in the tournament so far, averaging a staggering 68.
"It's definitely my best start to a WBBL season, I've been hitting the ball well all year, to be honest. I feel really good at the moment. I'm very confident in my game," Haynes said.
"Cricket can be a bit unforgiving at times, so I want to make sure that while I'm hitting the ball well I'm making the most of it.
"I feel like I've hit the ball just as well as I am at times but I probably haven't nailed those back-to-back efforts and that's been the biggest difference."
Just 12 months ago she was working part-time with the Thunder to run their holiday camps, on top of her playing commitments.
Now she's a professional cricketer thanks to the NSW Breakers' move last summer to a full-time program, and the rapid growth of the women's game in Australia and internationally.
"It's made a huge difference to me [being professional], I've always been an athlete who's had to juggle work and playing," Haynes said.
"Becoming a full-time athlete, it gives you the luxury of time to be able to put into your game and become a better athlete. I certainly feel like I am a better athlete, even though I have been playing for well over 10 years now.
"It just means you can prepare for each match and you've got that time to recover. You can refresh mentally and really focus when you come to training, that's the biggest difference for me."
The winless Stars were left to rue a string of missed chances in the field that could have changed the complexion of the match.
Haynes was caught at deep mid-wicket early in her innings, but it was off a no ball. She was later dropped at long-on, and then Melbourne wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee missed a regulation stumping when Alana King bemused Haynes with a turning leg break.
Priest was also dropped in the deep.
"In this type of T20 game that saying of catches win matches, it's a bit of a cliche but I do think if you take your chances you might only get one," Stars' top scorer Mignon Du Preez said.
"We dropped her [Haynes] quite early and she went on to score almost 80. It makes a big difference, it is definitely frustrating. We'll have to go back to the drawing board and see what we can do better next time."
Meanwhile, opening weekend centurion Ashleigh Gardner has been ruled out of the Sixers' clash with Hobart in Tasmania on Sunday after suffering a concussion in Tuesday's loss to the Perth Scorchers.
Carly Leeson has been drafted into the 13-player squad.
