Adelaide Strikers 124 for 3 (Mack 45) to beat Sydney Sixers 122 for 8 (Tryon 39, Perry 37, Gibson 3-34) with seven wickets
Sydney Sixers’ WBBL season has come to a complete end after they suffered a seven-wicket loss to Adelaide Strikers who in turn kept themselves in the hunt to host the final.
As of Saturday night, the Sixers still had the slimmest mathematical chance of making the top four, but that would vanish if the Brisbane Heat beat the Melbourne Stars on Sunday. If the Melbourne Renegades also beat the Hobart Hurricanes, that would also lock them into the top four with a week to go in the regular season and just leave the tussle for finals hosting rights.
The team that finishes second hosts the Challenger, against the winner of the Eliminator which will be held at the same venue.
The Sixers needed several early forays to give themselves a chance, but although Lauren Cheatle produced a superb performance to put away Laura Wolvaardt, that was their only breakthrough.
Mack, who had another very solid season, added a steady 52 with McGrath and Patterson upped the ante with 20 off 12 balls.
The Sixers’ batting effort initially showed some encouraging signs, but they struggled to pick up the pace. Suzie Bates returned to the top of the order after a spell in the middle but failed to find her stride before falling for 5 off 13.
Ash Gardner’s poor season with the bat, which has seen her average under 20, continued as she toiled for 8 off 10 balls.
After 10 overs, the Sixers scored down a run and shortly afterwards Perry became McGrath’s second wicket. The attack spinners then made an impact in the middle phase of the innings with Anesu Mushangwe and Amanda-Jade Wellington taking a combined 3 for 29 from six overs despite a very short boundary.
Chloe Tryon tried to keep things going for the Sixers and managed a huge six down the ground, but apart from her and Perry, Erin Burns, with a single boundary, was the only other batsman to find the rope.