The last time the Sydney Sixers played the Melbourne Stars, Meg Lanning destroyed them. It was a much different story on Wednesday
Match Report:
ScorecardSixers survive Stars' scare as Bouchier's knock wreaks havoc
Less than a fortnight after the Sydney Sixers were mauled by the Melbourne Stars, they have won the return bout to continue their late-season WBBL surge.
Ash Gardner starred with her highest score in the league for more than two years, as well as taking three wickets, in the 16-run win on Wednesday at Drummoyne Oval.
The Sixers improved to equal-second in the standings with the Stars, and have a game in hand.
On November 20, Stars great Meg Lanning unleashed a batting masterclass against the Sixers, and her 135 remains the top score of the season.
But since that heavy loss Sydney are on a three-game winning streak, with one no-result.
By contrast, the Stars have lost their past two matches to fall three points behind top side Hobart.
Sydney will close out the regular season against the Melbourne Renegades and the Adelaide Strikers, while the Stars will play the Sydney Thunder.
After Sydney won the toss on Wednesday, Gardner paced their innings with a quickfire 50 from 31 balls, featuring seven fours and two sixes. It was the Australian star's highest WBBL score since October 2023.
Opener Sophia Dunkley contributed 41 and the Sixers reached a healthy 5-164.
The Stars looked shot when Gardner trapped Lanning LBW for just eight, leaving them 4-30.
Enter England's Maia Bouchier, playing her first game of the WBBL season as a replacement for South African Marizanne Kapp. Bouchier combined with Kim Garth for a fifth-wicket stand of 82 that put Melbourne back in the hunt.
After Gardner dismissed Garth for 17, Dani Gibson immediately hit three fours and suddenly the pressure was on Sydney.
Melbourne were 5-131 in the 18th over when Bouchier rifled a low drive off Mady Villiers and Lauren Cheatle took an outstanding catch at cover.
With Bouchier out for a match-high 67 from 40 balls, and Gibson dismissed in the next over for 17, the Sixers could breathe again.
Melbourne reached 8-148 as Gardner snared 3-31 from four overs.
Weber WBBL|11 Standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
HUR
|
10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.662 | 0 | 15 |
|
2
SIX
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -0.313 | 0 | 13 |
|
3
SCO
|
10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -0.132 | 0 | 12 |
|
4
STA
|
10 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.629 | 0 | 11 |
|
5
REN
|
10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.121 | 0 | 10 |
|
6
STR
|
10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0.077 | 0 | 9 |
|
7
THU
|
10 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | -0.124 | 0 | 9 |
|
8
HEA
|
10 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | -0.869 | 0 | 1 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points