Delayed match worth the wait as Sydney puts on good display

It was the Sydney Thunder who were able to complete the win by 4 wickets.

The Sydney Sixers won the toss and with a pitch with a greenish tinge. Alyssa Healy was again the batter to fall first, looking to hit big from the bowling of Sam Bates she could not get it over the tall Harmanpreet Kaur.

With Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner in the middle, the Sixers had the ability to put on a convincing total. Belinda Vakarewa had other ideas and the Sixers players found her tough to score off and Gardner was the first of her three wickets. It took a great catch from Naomi Stalenberg who running in, got under the top edged shot and didn’t let go.

The important wicket, as usual, was that of Perry and she made a rare mistake looking to sweep Maisy Gibson missed it and the umpire raised the finger and Perry had to go for 25.

Wickets went at regular intervals that stopped the Sixers from getting on top of the game as the bowlers were helped by some great catching.

It is unusual to see the Sixers bowled out, but they did just that when Kim Garth was the last wicket to fall lbw to Bates to leave them on 113, it looked a total that was not big enough, even with some of the Sixers bowlers yet to come.

It was a lopsided start to the Thunder innings, as Rachael Haynes looked in fluent form while her opening partner Rachel Priest was bowled by Marizanne Kapp who gives little away.

Alex Blackwell never got going and was caught behind for a seven-ball duck to a smart catch from Healy. Only one run had been added in the next 13 balls when Haynes hit straight to Garner to give Aley her second wicket and figures of 2 for 0 at that point.

Naomi Stalenberg and Kaur set about getting the innings going and it was the Indian international who was finding the boundary and had hit two big sixes when trying to hit a third Dane van Niekerk took a low diving catch on the mid-off boundary.

The Thunder steadily upped the run-rate and Stalenberg had settled and with Stafanie Taylor still looking to settle it was up to Stalenberg to take up the role of aggressor.

With just ten to win Stalenberg shuffled across her stumps and Aley bowled her for 48. Aley finished with figures of 3 for 11 from her four overs to give the Sixers a chance of winning.

With five runs to win Nicola Carey was bowled by Kim Garth but in stepped Rene Farrell who hit her first ball for four to level up the scores and then guided a single from her second ball to give the Thunder the win and remain top of the table.

Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder

Sydney Sixers 113 all out (Perry 25, Bates 3 for 21)

Sydney Thunder 114 for 6 (Stalenberg 48, Garth 3 for 11)