Aley stuns Strikers as Sixers cruises to final

The Adelaide Strikers have never beaten the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and that run of form continued at the Adelaide Oval, as the Sixers put behind any resentment of having their home advantage reversed. They won by 17 runs but at various stages, during the match, the Strikers had the opportunity of securing the win.

The Strikers bowlers kept things tight at the start of the Sixers innings as Megan Schutt and Sophie Devine were difficult to get away.

With the first over had gone for only three and the next over starting the with three dot balls, it forced Alyssa Healy into making the mistake. Devine dug in a short ball that Healy attempted to pull but was not able to get her hands through the ball and went to square-leg.

It brought the hard-hitting Ashleigh Gardner to the crease and after a tentative start soon got stuck into the Strikers bowlers. With two overs of the powerplay left the Sixers were 9 for 1. Gardner knew that she would be the player to get stuck in the bowling and she did just that.

Gardner hit consecutive sixes off Devine in the final over of the powerplay, the Sixers were suddenly 33 for 1 and were starting to get going.

Ellyse Perry allowed Gardner to take most of the strike and it proved to be the right target as Gardner smashed a fifty from 31 balls and included three fours and six sixes.

The Strikers came back at the Sixers. The Sixers were looking for a total well over 150, but some tight bowling in the middle overs reigned in the Sixers.

Perry knew that she had used up too many balls and tried to hit across the line to a Devine slower ball to end a 31 ball inning of 16.

Two overs later Gardner was stumped off a wide from Amada Wellington. Gardner was gone for 72 from 45 balls and with her went any momentum that the Sixers had created.In the end, the Sixers would have been disappointed to finish on 138 for 5.

With the top order that the Strikers had at their disposal, the Sixers would have to take early wickets. That happened in the fourth over when Sarah Aley was brought in the attack. The Strikers had scored 20 in the first three overs and Suzie Bates, in particular, had found the boundary with ease.

Bates though had misjudged the pace of Aley’s first ball and could only force it to mid-wicket. Tahlia McGrath was out the very next ball as Aley started with a double wicket maiden over.

The Sixers were suddenly on top and that was forced home the following over as Kim Garth saw off Devine and Bridget Patterson.When Aley then dismissed Wellington and Tabatha Saville in the last over of the powerplay the Strikers were 23 for 6. Aley had figures of 4 for 1 and ended any real hopes of the Strikers winning the game.

It would take a remarkable inning from Tammy Beaumont to bring the Strikers back into the game. Along with Schutt added 48 for the seventh wicket. It was not enough for the Strikers as the run-rate rose and both were dismissed lbw trying to find gaps in the field.

The Strikers were well out of the game by the time the final ball of the game was bowled and the favourites at the start of the competition will now face the Perth Scorchers to defend their title, in what promises to be an exciting final.

Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers

Sydney Sixers 138 for 5 (Garder 72, Devine 2 for 21)

Adelaide Strikers 121 for 9 (Beaumont 50, Aley 4 for 9)