The 52nd match of the seventh edition of Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) will be played between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers at the Adelaide Oval on November 20. While Adelaide Strikers have a 50% win rate in this tournament having won six out of their 12 matches, Sydney Sixers have a 33.33% success rate, having won four out of their 12 matches. The last time these two teams met, Adelaide Strikers beat Sydney Sixers clinically by eight wickets. Will Sydney Sixers be able to bounce back?
Squads
Adelaide Strikers:
Darcie Brown, Katie Mack, Madeline Penna, Bridget Patterson, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt, Tegan McPharlin, Sarah Coyte, Tahlia McGrath, Jemma Barsby, Dane van Niekerk, Nell Bryson-Smith, Annie O’Neil, Megan Schutt, Meagan Dixon
Sydney Sixers:
Ellyse Perry (captain), Jade Allen, Nicole Bolton, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Emma Hughes, Matilda Lugg, Angela Reakes Claire Moore, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav
Players to watch out for
Katie Mack:
In a high-scoring encounter, the opening batter top-scored for Adelaide Strikers, plundering an unbeaten 84 off just 61 balls, including 10 boundaries. Stitching a 91-run partnership with Laura Wolvaardt, she gave hope to her team that they could chase 178. However in the end Adelaide Strikers fell short of just 12 runs.
Laura Wolvaardt:
The South African bat joined forces with Mack in the last match against Sydney Thunder to take her team to a strong position chasing a big total. She scored 40 runs off just 28 balls, hitting seven boundaries. She came in to bat in the third over and batted for 10 overs to depart only in the 13th over of the innings.
Ellyse Perry:
The captain of Sydney Sixers top-scored in her last outing against Sydney Thunder as she muscled an unbeaten 40 in as many balls, hitting three boundaries. Out of the 94 runs scored by the team, the skipper scored almost 50% of the runs. She was the one who led the batting however failed to find an able ally.
Lauren Cheatle:
The left-arm quick was the pick of the bowlers for Sydney Sixers in her last outing against Sydney Thunder as she claimed 3-15 in her four overs. The opening bowler was not only the most successful one but also the most economical bowler in that match. Her performance looks even greater when one knows that she returned to cricket after fighting cancer.
Weather
The weather is expected to be mostly cloudy and cool. There is a 25% chance of rain in the afternoon (local) with 83% cloud cover. The average temperature will range around 20 degrees Celsius. The wind is expected to blow from the southeast.
Pitch
It is a good cricketing wicket that offers assistance to both batters and bowlers. Batters will have to spend time at the crease to score those big runs, while the bowlers will have to stick to their basics to yield the most out of the wicket. Toss will play a crucial role as there is a slight chance of rain during the course of the match.
Fantasy playing XI
Alyssa Healy, Laura Wolvaardt, Katie Mack, Shafali Verma, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Amanda Wellington, Darcie Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maitlan Brown
Match details
Date: November 20, 2021
Time: 8.10 am IST
Venue: Adelaide Oval
Live streaming: Sony LIV
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.