Sixers carnage as Strikers secure finals berth

The Adelaide Strikers have secured their place in the Weber WBBL|07 finals in style, demolishing the Sydney Sixers by eight wickets, chasing down their meagre total of 82 runs with 9.4 overs to spare.

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Ruthless bowling from the Strikers, led by Sarah Coyte (3-12) and Darcie Brown (2-25), as well as quick fire batting from Katie Mack (24 off 20) has secured their place in the top four for the first time since WBBL|05.

The Sixers recorded three ducks amongst their batting line up, with their only shining lights being No.9 Lauren Cheatle’s top score of 16 and Maitlan Brown’s 1-13.

The Sixers chose to bat but carnage started second ball, with Megan Schutt removing Alyssa Healy out for a two-ball duck, before Ashleigh Gardner was caught off D. Brown’s fast ball, as she registered a fourth consecutive innings without scoring.

It was a Strikers’ party again just two overs later when Brown took her second wicket, dismissing Ellyse Perry (9 off 12).

It didn’t stop there, with calamitous running seeing the end of Shafali Verma for a diamond duck and Niole Bolton for 15. Angela Reakes (3) was removed an over later by Amanda-Jade Wellington, leaving the Sixers reeling at 6-30.

The Sixers edged past their lowest ever WBBL score of 73 in the 16th over, thanks to the efforts of Cheatle and Stella Campbell (12), but they were bowled out for 82 with four balls remaining.

Strikers Dane van Niekierk (33 off 22) and Mack (24 off 20) made quick work of their opportunities, piling on a 54-run partnership, including nine boundaries, before van Niekerk fell in the sixth over, and Mack in the eighth.

Laura Wolvaardt (10 off 14) and McGrath (9 off 8) wasted no time sealing victory with 9.4 overs to spare.

The Strikers meet the Stars on Sunday, while the Sixers will aim to climb off the bottom of the table against the finals-bound Perth Scorchers.

Scorchers sneak home in thriller to reclaim top spot

Perth Scorchers have clinched a final-ball thriller over Melbourne Stars to reclaim top spot on the ladder and put themselves in the box seat for the direct path to the WBBL final.

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The Scorchers wobbled in pursuit of the Stars' 7-122, but with nine runs required from the final over, Alana King and Marizanne Kapp managed to edge their side home on the final delivery.

Annabel Sutherland's first three balls went for three runs, when a lucky top edge from King that flew over the keeper to the boundary, before the leg-spinner was run out on the penultimate ball.

With score tied, new batter Taneale Peschel hit Sutherland's final delivery directly to mid-off, but a missed run out allowed the diving Peschel to make her ground as she and Kapp sprinted the single needed to deny the Stars a Super Over.

Earlier, the cheap dismissals of Beth Mooney, stumped for five off Kim Garth, and Sophie Devine, bowled by Tess Flintoff for five, left the Scorchers in trouble at 2-16.

The pair have been the dominant opening partnership of WBBL|07 but their middle-order was suddenly under the pump in the crucial clash. Heather Graham scratched a 22-ball 13, while Chloe Piparo hit a run-a-ball 27, before an aggressive 30 from 20 from Mathilda Carmichael brought the run rate under control. While she also departed, Kapp's unbeaten 29 off 25 kept the Scorchers in it heading into the final over.

Batting first, the Stars' batting woes continued despite an aggressive 66-ball 84 from Elyse Villani. The opener played the lonest of lone hands; while she stroked nine fours and two sixes in her third fifty of the season, not other Stars batter reached double figures. Sutherland (9) was the next highest scorer, while captain Meg Lanning's below-par season continued when she was bowled for four; the sixth time this season she had been dismissed in that fashion.

The Renegades can displace the Scorchers in top spot with victory over Brisbane Heat tonight, which would leave the Scorchers needing to best the Sixers on Sunday to finish in the No.1 position.  

Vakarewa stars as Hurricanes end season on a high

Belinda Vakarewa and Hobart Hurricanes ended the WBBL season on a high note, clinching a four-run win over Sydney Thunder.

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After Mignon du Preez struck a brilliant 87 not out from 61 deliveries to help the Hurricanes post 5-147, Vakarewa took 3-8 from her four overs as the Thunder scored 9-143 in reply.

Du Preez's efforts included 11 fours and one six, with Molly Strano (23no from 14) the other main contributor with the bat.

Vakarewa then removed India star Smriti Mandhana for a duck, following up with the wickets of Tahlia Wilson (3) and Anika Learoyd (34).

Opener Sammy-Jo Johnson led the Thunder innings with 39, while a late 10-ball 18 from Phoebe Litchfield was not enough to see the Sydney club home.

The Hurricanes' victory ensured they will finish the season as high as fifth on the table, while they will avoid finishing on eighth spot for the fourth time in five seasons.