The 8th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (W-BBL) marked its conclusion with a gripping Final between the Sydney Sixers and the Adelaide Strikers. The game witnessed Adelaide Strikers post a below-par total that they then went on to successfully defend to register a convincing win and win the competition for the first time.
Road to the Finals :
Sydney Sixers – The side only lost a couple of games in their league stage fixtures and having finished as the table toppers with 23 points coming off 11 wins and one ‘no result’, the side directly booked a berth in the Finals.
Adelaide Strikers – The side with 8 wins, one no-result finish and 5 defeats are seeded 2nd on the points table. The side outnumbered Brisbane Heat only in terms of Net Run Rate (NRR) and the 2nd rank finish helped Strikers directly qualify for the Challenger where they handed the Heat a commanding defeat to clinch a ticket to the Finals.
The Finals :
1st innings – Adelaide Strikers: 147/5 (20.0)
Having won the toss, Adelaide Strikers opt to bat first and made the most of the new ball as openers, Katie Mack and Laura Wolvaardt, put on a fine 50*-run opening stand to close out the powerplay overs. Both set batters, Laura on 15 and Katie on 29 (hit wicket) departed in successive overs and skipper, Tahlia McGrath alongside Deandra Dottin did the repair work. The 44-run stand between the pair came to a close with the wicket of Tahlia McGrath on 24(21) and a set Dottin then took complete charge.
Bridget Patterson when departed for 7 was followed by Madeline Penna and Tegan McPharlin then closed the game out alongside Dottin remaining unbeaten on respective scores of 8(9) and 52(37). The late flourish and a last ball boundary off Dottin’s bat, pushed the Strikers’ total to 147 and the Sixers with the ball had, Sophie Ecclestone bag a couple of wickets, while Lauren Cheatle, Kate Peterson and Nicole Bolton bagged a wicket each.
2nd innings – Sydney Sixers: 137/5 (20.0)
A bunch of early wickets caused Sydney Sixers’ downfall as Alyssa Healy (1), Suzie Bates (10), Ashleigh Gardner (0) and Erin Burns (1), all departed within the powerplay with 16 on board. Skipper, Ellyse Perry cautiously hung in the middle and alongside Nicole Bolton stitched a crucial partnership. The 60-run partnership between the pair came to a close with the wicket of Bolton on 33(27) and in the following over, Sixers’ lost their 6th in set batter, Perry walking back on 33(32).
Maitlan Brown started off aggressively and had a healthy 9-ball-15 off Sophie Ecclestone’s bat, but not a lot then as Kate Peterson (5) and Angelina Genford (1) departed cheaply. Maitlan Brown’s knock with added flair came to an end off the last ball of the innings and with her departing on 34(17), the side was bowled out for 137 falling 10 short of the required. Strikers with the ball had Darcie Brown and Deandra Dottin bag a couple each, while Megan Schutt, Amanda Jade Wellington, Tahlia McGrath and Jemma Barsby struck a wicket each.
Result: Adelaide Strikers won by 10 runs