New captain Ashleigh Gardner and coach Matthew Mott have successfully steered the Sixers into finals, while one of their boldest pre-season calls has paid off
Sydney Sixers skipper Ashleigh Gardner is confident her team’s thrilling last-ball win that sealed their spot in the WBBL|11 finals will steel them for a crack at an elusive third title.
Defending 18 runs from the final over, Gardner’s first three deliveries went to the boundary but she responded superbly to ice a one-run victory, securing the Sixers’ first knockouts appearance since 2022.
The close-fought nature of the table meant a loss would have seen them finish fifth, while a win was enough to secure second spot and the right to host The Challenger, where they will meet one of the Perth Scorchers or Melbourne Stars on Thursday night for a spot in the final.
“Either finishing second or fifth was quite a crazy realistic thing that was going to happen, and then to be able to host here in North Sydney on Thursday night … knowing that we’re coming up against one of two very good teams, it’s exciting,” Gardner said on Sunday.
The Sixers had the Strikers 2-60 midway through their chase of 174 at North Sydney Oval, only for Bridget Patterson’s blazing 65no from 35 to take the game to the final over.
“I feel like through the later part of this tournament, we’d had teams where we wanted them, and then we kind of let that middle period slip and it kind of happened again today,” Gardner continued.
“North Sydney is one of those grounds where you never really feel like you’re out of it and it just showed today with a bit of a breeze and the Power Surge always brings teams back into it.
“Thankfully, we’re on the better side of it (today).”
An appearance in The Challenger a positive start for the new leadership combination of captain Gardner and coach Matthew Mott, who are looking to restore the club to the position of dominance they held across the first four WBBL seasons.
During that time, they won two titles and finished runners-up in the other two finals.
In the six seasons that followed, they maintained a consistently star-studded list, but managed to make the top four just once.
“It’s been quite a frustrating time,” Gardner said.
“We had so much success through the early part of the Big Bash, and then we made the final a couple of years ago and went down to the Strikers, and then we’ve played okay cricket, but just not consistent cricket.
“And I think this season’s also shown we’ve won those scrappy games, which gives a lot of character and fight within the change room.
“It’s also being able to win those small moments as well, which we’ve been on both sides of.
“We’ve lost games that we probably should have won, and vice versa.
“So (we’re) going into the finals with a lot of confidence within our change room, that’s all you can kind of ask for in these in these moments.”
One of the biggest calls the Sixers made under their new leadership this season was the decision to recruit English opening batter Sophia Dunkley with the No.1 pick in the overseas player draft, rather than stick with spinner Sophie Ecclestone.
It also raised some eyebrows when Alyssa Healy, who when fit opened for the Sixers throughout the past 10 seasons, was pushed down to No.3 as Dunkley joined Ellyse Perry at the top of the order.
The new opening pair have averaged 56.87 for the first wicket this season – making them the most successful opening pair of any club in WBBL|11 – and on Sunday, put on an opening stand of 141 in 15.6 overs.
At the end of the regular season, Perry sat fourth on the runs table with 383 at a strike rate of 141.85, followed by Dunkley in fifth with 313 at 123.7
“We picked (Dunkley) for a reason,” Gardner said.
“That was part of our list which we felt like we were lacking in, having someone up the top who just absolutely takes the game on.
“Dunks is never going to muck around at the top, and I think just the way that they complement each other, Pez is more of a purist, and then Dunks opens up different areas of the ground.
“We were super happy with getting her on board. She’s a ripping human as well, she’s someone that fits in so seamlessly in any group that she goes to, so I think that just makes that transition a little bit easier.”
WBBL|11 finals schedule
The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars, WACA Ground (Tuesday, December 9, 7.45pm AEDT)
The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of The Knockout, North Sydney Oval (Thursday, December 11, 7.15pm AEDT)
The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of The Challenger, Ninja Stadium (Saturday, December 13, 7.15pm AEDT)
