In her first match since her hamstring injury at the T20 World Cup, Sydney Sixers skipper Ellyse Perry was the star of the show as her side won a waterlogged clash
Match Report:
ScorecardPerry shines on return to outclass Strikers
Ellyse Perry has made her long-awaited return from injury in style, hitting the winning runs to seal a rain-affected nine-wicket (DLS) victory over the Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval.
Sydney's big wet delayed the start, raising fears of a sixth washout in two days to start WBBL|06.
The Strikers then reached 7-68 from a reduced nine overs, before the rain returned with the Sixers 0-30 after 3.5, slightly ahead of the par score and just seven balls short of the five overs required for a completed match.
But some rapid work from the North Sydney ground staff saw a restart against the odds, and with a revised 16 runs required from 13 deliveries, it was Perry who fittingly struck the winning boundary with two balls to spare.
Playing her first official match since tearing her hamstring during the T20 World Cup, Perry bowled two overs for 0-8, before hitting an unbeaten 14 from 16.
After Sydney's heavy downpours washed out the morning's match between the Thunder and Stars, the skies finally brightened long enough for Sixers captain Perry to win the bat flip, sending the Strikers in.
With just nine overs a side, the Strikers made a change at the top of the order, promoting Maddie Penna to join Tahlia McGrath.
A brilliant catch from Jodie Hicks handed Marizanne Kapp the first breakthrough with the second ball of the match, showing off her AFLW skills with a leaping overhead mark as McGrath departed without scoring.
In-form batter Laura Wolvaardt came in fresh off a fifty in Saturday's tournament opener but came unstuck to 18-year-old quick Stella Campbell's first delivery of WBBL|06, skiing a catch to Alyssa Healy.
The bold move to promote Penna did not pay off as the 20-year-old second-year player struggled to get off strike, hitting a lone boundary in her seven from 18 deliveries, while the first-ball dismissal of Amanda-Jade Wellington left the Strikers in deep trouble at 4-14 after 4.2 overs.
Bridget Patterson sparked the revival, smacking South Africa leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk for six and dishing out the same to Campbell the following over.
Aided by the quick running of Katie Mack, the pair put on 42 runs in 21 balls before the latter was run out on 13.
Sarah Coyte added a quickfire 10 from five balls, while Patterson was caught behind on the final ball of the innings for a 14-ball 28, having lifted Adelaide to 7-68.
Healy hit Megan Schutt's first delivery of the chase for four, her aggressive 27 from 14 critical in a tricky and interrupted chase.