After returning to the finals last season, the magenta outfit has only gotten stronger ahead of WBBL|12
Strong, in-form list sets up Sixers for success in WBBL|12
Ashleigh Gardner has labelled the Sydney Sixers' list "the strongest we've had in a long time", as they look to improve on last season's third-placed finish in Weber WBBL|12.
The Sixers go into the season with a stable list that's been bolstered by some big inclusions, and a new head coach in Pete Clarke, who is no stranger to the club having previously serves as an assistant alongside his full-time role as NSW Breakers head coach.
The Sixers returned to the finals for the first time since WBBL|08 last season, only to fall painfully short of a spot in the final when they were defeated at home by the Scorchers.
As always, they have one of the strongest and most stable groups on paper, and if a couple more of their stars contribute more this season, they'll be hard to stop.
In promising signs, the Sixers emerged victorious in the Spring Challenge, defeating the Scorchers in the final.
WBBL|12 club previews
"I think it's one of our strongest lists for a very long time," Gardner told cricket.com.au. "I think we've got players in form as well, which is always nice coming into a competition like the Big Bash.
"(The season) happens really quickly, so to have players that have confidence always helps, especially relying on overseas at times.
"And just looking at how we've performed in the Spring Challenge – someone like Lauren Cheatle's gone out there (in the semi-final) and had an absolute blinder, and I think it just gives our domestic players a lot of confidence as well that they can perform in the biggest league.
"I feel like we're in a really good place at the moment."
This will be Gardner's second season in charge of the Sixers, after she took over from Ellyse Perry ahead of WBBL|11.
The allrounder said she had learnt a lot from the experience last season, particularly around being able to lean on the vast experience in the squad – including former skipper Perry and current New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr – to ease the pressure.
"I feel like the way that I captain, I just try and stay really calm," Gardner said. "You worry about what other people are doing and who to bowl next, and it kind of takes away from my personal game, and I can be an overthinker at times when things aren't going well.
"(But) I've got so many amazing players around me as well, so I feel like if I'm under pressure, I can chat to anyone, which always really helps to have experience within the side. I'm looking forward to it again."
In WBBL|11, after several years of mixing and matching different players at the top of the order, the Sixers' decision to pass up Sophie Ecclestone at the draft in favour of Sophia Dunkley paid off.
She was the Sixers' second-highest scorer behind Ellyse Perry (412 at 51.5), with her 354 runs coming at 39.33.
The Sixers were however a bit too reliant on their opening pair. Their next highest contributor was Gardner, whose 143 runs came at an average of 15.88, and strike rate of 111, and Amelia Kerr scored just 58 runs across her seven appearances.
Sydney will hope for more with the bat from their star spin-bowling allrounders, while they have also added exciting young England batter Alice Capsey – who can also bowl off-spin and even keep wicket when required – from the Renegades.
Maddy Darke has been lured back from the Scorchers to take the gloves, helping solve the question of who will stand behind the stumps following Alyssa Healy's retirement.
With the ball, Gardner was outstanding last season taking 19 wickets, as were the fast bowling pair of Maitlan Brown and Lauren Cheatle, taking 13 and 12 wickets respectively. Kerr, whose start to the season was interrupted by injury, managed just seven at an average of 30 – unusually low returns for the New Zealand star, who you'd expect to fare far better in WBBL|12.
Last season
Result: Third, lost Challenger to Perth Scorchers
Most runs: Ellyse Perry (412 at 51.5, SR of 142)
Most wickets: Ashleigh Gardner (19 at 15, econ 7.67)
WBBL|12 squad
Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Alice Capsey, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Maddy Darke, Sophia Dunkley, Ashleigh Gardner, Elsa Hunter, Amelia Kerr, Frankie Nicklin, Ellyse Perry, Courtney Sippel.
Ins: Frankie Nicklin, Maddy Darke (Scorchers), Sarah Coyte (Renegades)
Outs: Alyssa Healy (retired), Mady Villiers (England)
Internationals: Alice Capsey (England), Sophia Dunkley (England), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)
Head coach: Peter Clarke (replacing Matthew Mott)
Season schedule
Possible best XI
Sophia Dunkley, Ellyse Perry, Alice Capsey, Amelia Kerr, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Erin Burns, Maddy Darke (wk), Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Sarah Coyte, Lauren Cheatle
Player availability
New Zealand and England have a clear schedule in December, which hopefully means all three of the Sixers' internationals are available for the entire season.
Overseas recruits
Alice Capsey (England): The Sixers added firepower to their top order and helped address the loss of the retired Alyssa Healy by luring England star Alice Capsey away from the Melbourne Renegades.
Sophia Dunkley (England): Last year's No.1 pick in the now-scrapped WBBL draft, Dunkley impressed at the top of the order in magenta last season, forming a potent opening partnership alongside Perry. The 28-year-old's 354 runs were second only to Perry's 412 for the club, helping the Sixers return to the finals for the first time since WBBL|08.
Amelia Kerr (New Zealand): Kerr has entered the third and final year of her multi-season contract with the Sixers. The allrounder is one of the best players in the world and enjoyed a stellar first season in magenta, taking 15 wickets and averaging 28 with the bat across six games. Last season was below the star's best and interrupted by injury, as she averaged 19 in seven matches with the bat and took seven wickets.
Inside word with Sixers captain Ashleigh Gardner
How to fill the huge shoes of Alyssa Healy?
It's a big question for the Sixers, and they've signed two players to help fill the gaping hole left by the former Australia captain. Local wicketkeeper-batter Darke has been recruited from the Scorchers on a three-year deal and can take the gloves while slotting in somewhere lower down the batting order, given the strength of the Sixers' batting line-up. But the Sixers will also have the option of handing the gloves to Capsey – who recently kept for England during a T20I series – if it ends up working out better for team balance. Capsey could also occupy the No.3 spot in the batting order held by Healy last season, behind openers Perry and Dunkley.
"You probably can't fill her shoes, to be honest," Gardner said. "She's one of a kind. She had an amazing record for the club and she's certainly going to be missed. She brought that experience, she was a game changer. You can't really replace someone like that, but hopefully we'll do our best to fill that gap that she's made."
Signing Dunkley and Capsey
Dunkley will arrive in Australia buoyed with confidence after a successful stint in this year's Hundred playing alongside Gardner at Trent Rockets, where she scored 301 runs at 37.62, striking at 164.48, to help the Rockets claim the title.
Capsey, who spent the past two seasons with the Renegades, further strengthens the Sixers top-to-middle order while also offering another option with the ball, having taken 26 wickets in 18 matches for the Renegades with her off-spin. The most recent string added to her bow has made her a true triple threat, with Capsey taking the wicketkeeping gloves for England's recent ODI series against Ireland in place of a managed Amy Jones.
"It was an easy decision to get 'Dunks' back for another season," Gardner said. "I had the opportunity to play with her again at the Trent Rockets, and just to watch her bat and to go about it, she is really unique in the way that she approaches her cricket. She hits weird areas and you set a field and sometimes the ball flies off into a different direction and she puts the bowlers under pressure, which is what you want as an opening batter.
"Capsey brings the all-round aspect. Bowling, keeping, batting, she has it all. She's a young player, but I think she's so talented. We've seen it in the international space in glimpses of absolute brilliance, and she can clear the ropes pretty consistently as well. Being able to adapt to whatever role she's asked to play this year, whether it's the middle-order to come out and ice games or to finish off games, I think is going to be important going forward, so I'm excited to see what she can do in this side."
New (old) faces
Sarah Coyte and Darke are both back in magenta after stints at other clubs. Canny pace bowler Coyte was a member of the Sixers side that won the WBBL|02 title, before moving to the Strikers and then the Renegades, where she tasted success with both teams. Wicketkeeper-batter Darke meanwhile started her career as a Sixers before a stint with the Stars and more recently, Perth Scorchers.
"Looking at Coytey, she's got so much experience," Gardner said. "She's played cricket for a long time. She's an absolute stalwart in New South Wales, and just what she brings, the experience is unmatched. She's someone that you can throw the ball to at any moment, and she'll deliver, so to have her back is super exciting.
"And Mads, being a really good 'keeper – I've seen her from quite a young age playing for New South Wales, and she brings something a little bit different, and a new 'keeper face within our group as well."