Women's Big Bash League: Sydney Thunder defeats Sydney Sixers by three wickets in the final
The final of the Women’s Big Bash League was played out in Melbourne between the cross-town rivals Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers. And it so happens that the Sydney Thunders have turned out to be victorious. They have become the inaugural champions as this was the first women’s league in Australia.
Sydney Thunders in green had maintained their position at the helm of the league this season. While for the Sydney Sixers in pink it has been a story of a remarkable turnaround. The Sixers started their campaign with six straight losses and then came back with eight galloping wins to finish third. They gained entry to the final by defeating the Perth Scorchers.
Sydney Thunder beat Sydney Sixers by three wickets to lift the title. This was quite a thrilling one as the Sixers had made a total of 115 for seven wickets off the 20 overs. The Thunder overtook them with three balls remaining.
During the match, it was quite apparent that the Sixers tried to enhance their performance as well as the score. Only 40 runs out of the total 115 came from boundaries. Ashleigh Gardner and Sara McGlashan scored 20 runs each while Angela Reakes scored the maximum runs with a total of 23.
For the Thunder, Rachel Haynes was the top-scorer with 38 runs.
The game had a messy start to it. The stadium witnessed a display of poor fielding from the Thunder. The Sixers were seven wickets down with a total that they could not brag about and that is especially why it seems that the Thunders could have done better.
Thunder missed a big chance when they failed to run out Ellyse Perry, the skipper of the Sixers. Alyssa Healy was on 15 runs when Thunder missed a chance to take her wicket. Rene Farell eventually took Perry’s wicket and Maisy Gibson took Healy’s wicket. Perry and Healy have together scored 346 runs this season. The most costliest mistake was that when Rachel Haynes missed a catch that could have seen Ashleigh Gardner of the Sixers leave the field. Erin Osborne dismissed Marizanne Kapp.
The Sixers had high hopes with Sara McGlashan batting. The Thunder wicket-keeper Claire Koski missed a brilliant chance to run out McGlashan. Rene Farrell later took Mc Glashan’s wicket.
The Thunder started to push for the required score after the introduction of spin. They did not loose wickets and at a point, they needed 62 runs from 60 balls. Thunder captain Alex Blackwell and all-rounder Rachel Haynes had a partnership of 44 runs between themselves. Perry later run out Haynes.