Sixers eye missing pieces of WBBL puzzle

The Sydney Sixers missing the Rebel WBBL finals last summer was one of the biggest surprises in the league’s history, but already the two-time title winners are in an enviable position for the upcoming season.

Coach Ben Sawyer believes there are just a couple of pieces of the puzzle missing – a mission he will now be able to embark on after the contract embargo lifted on Friday.

Superstar captain Ellyse Perry is locked in, after she confirmed in April she had penned a two-year extension during the previous contracting period – meaning the Sixers have already secured their full quota of five marquee players for WBBL|06.

She is joined by Aussie teammates Alyssa Healy, Ashleigh Gardner and South Africans Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk, alongside allrounder Erin Burns, who made her Australian debut last year but isn't included as a marquee as she does not hold a current national contract – in a roster of international stars that will be the envy of the league.

In all, the Sixers have filled at least eight of the 15 spots on their list.

In WBBL|05, a run of bad luck including Perry’s season-ending shoulder concern contributed to the two-time champions finishing the season fifth on the ladder.

Other woes included Lauren Cheatle’s own shoulder troubles, which kept the young left-armer sidelined for the entire season, and van Niekerk’s cut hand following an incident with an avocado, as well as wayward form from some of their biggest stars.

But Cheatle is on track to make her return to the magenta this summer, and Sawyer believes the club has a "strong nucleus" to build on.

"We’ve got all our international and Aussie players locked in, so we have a good core to build around," he told cricket.com.au earlier this month.

"We’re still looking for a couple of things to strengthen our team.

"We’ve been looking for the next young spinner; we’ve got a lot of great quicks in Stella (Campbell), Hayley (Silver-Holmes) and Emma Hughes in terms of young pace bowlers, so we’d love to get in a young spinner – and another young middle-order bat to join Maddy Darke potentially.

"We’d be looking after the future of the team if we can develop a few younger cricketers and mix them in with the Australians we’ve got."

Sawyer recently joined Cricket NSW as an assistant coach with the Breakers – a role he hopes will give him an extra edge when it comes to spotting that up-and-coming talent for the Sixers.

"A perfect example is someone like Phoebe Litchfield with the Thunder," he said, referring to the 17-year-old batter from Orange who made a big impression in her maiden Big Bash season last summer.

"She’s a great talent and someone at NSW identified that quickly … it was great to see her go so well last year.

"If we can keep doing that at NSW, it’s going to benefit both Sydney clubs. If we give them an opportunity and a contract and get them in early to train with and learn from the likes of Ellyse, Alyssa, Erin and Ash, it’ll only be better for the future."

One question mark remains over the future of out-of-contract pace bowler Sarah Aley.

The 36-year-old retired from state cricket with New South Wales following the 2019-20 summer, but Sawyer hopes the veteran will play at least one more season in magenta.

"That’s up to Mitsy (Aley) to be honest," Sawyer said. "The Sixers would love to have her.

"We’ve left that with Mitsy, there’s a contract there for her and we’re happy to wait and see how she goes.

"Her experience around the team is pretty invaluable."