WBBL09 | Domineering Adelaide Strikers outclass Sydney Sixers by seven wickets
Adelaide Strikers put up a clinical display at North Sydney Oval on Saturday against Sydney Sixers to reclaim the joint lead. After Adelaideās bowlers showed their class to restrict the Sixers to 122, Katie Mack and Tahlia McGrath helped the defending champions chase down the target in 17.3 overs.
Sydney Sixers got off to a steady start after being put into bat, amassing 41 runs in the first six overs with Ellyse Perry doing the bulk of the scoring. However, the defending champions bounced back in style by bagging the prized wickets of Suzie Bates, incoming Ashleigh Gardner and the in-form Perry (37) in quick succession to reduce the Sixers to 59/3 by the 11th over. While Tahlia McGrath & co. continued to chip away with wickets at regular intervals, Chloe Tryon kept the scoreboard ticking and guided her team into triple digits in the 16th over. With Tryon looking in good touch, Sydney Sixers took the two-over power surge soon after but the ploy did not bear fruit as they lost two wickets including that of Tryon (39), piling just 14 runs in the process. Eventually, the Sixersā innings ended on 122/8. Danielle Gibson was Adelaideās wrecker-in-chief, picking up a three-wicket haul.
Chasing a modest target on the slow North Sydney Oval surface, Adelaide Strikers did not enjoy the best of starts, racking up just 19 runs in the mandatory powerplay of four overs while losing Laura Wolvaardt in the process. However, Katie Mack and Tahlia McGrath shepherded the innings beautifully and put Adelaideās run chase on track with 66 runs on the board at the halfway mark. Though Perry dismissed Katie (45) soon after to give Sydney a ray of hope, McGrath and Bridget Patterson took the opposition bowlers to the cleaners to put their side in pole position at 97/2 with just 26 runs required off the final six overs. After Patterson was dismissed, McGrath (38*) and Madeline Penna helped the Strikers hunt down the target with ease in 17.3 overs. With the triumph, the Strikers have jumped to the second position with eight wins and having a game in hand, strengthening their bid for direct qualification to finals. On the other hand, fifth-placed Sydney Sixersās hopes of making it to the knockout stages have been left hanging by a thread after the gruesome loss.
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