A spot in the Weber WBBL|11 Final is on the line as the Sixers host the Scorchers at North Sydney Oval
Sydney Sixers have won the bat flip and are bowling first against the Perth Scorchers as they eye a showdown with the Hobart Hurricanes in the Weber WBBL|11 final.
With rain threatening to disrupt proceedings at North Sydney Oval, it came as no surprise that Sixers skipper Ashleigh Gardner opted to chase.
Sydney Sixers XI: Ellyse Perry, Sophia Dunkley, Alyssa Healy (wk), Ashleigh Gardner (c), Amelia Kerr, Maitlan Brown, Mady Villiers, Erin Burns, Lauren Kua, Courtney Sippel, Lauren Cheatle
Perth Scorchers XI: Beth Mooney (wk), Katie Mack, Maddy Darke, Sophie Devine (c), Freya Kemp, Paige Scholfield, Chloe Ainsworth, Alana King, Lilly Mills, Ruby Strange, Amy Edgar
Five overs a side is required to constitute a match, and if no result is possible, the Sixers will advance to the final in Hobart on Saturday.
The Sixers have made two changes to their XI, with Courtney Sippel coming in for 16-year-old allrounder Caoimhe Bray, who is set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering a recurrence of back stress fractures, while Lauren Kua has replaced Emma Manix-Geeves.
It’s Sippel’s first appearance of the tournament, while the Scorchers have named an unchanged XI from the side that defeated the Stars by 28 runs at the WACA Ground on Tuesday night.
Speaking ahead of the Challenger, Sixers quick Lauren Cheatle said the group was determined to make their first final since WBBL|08.
“The core group of this team has been together for a couple seasons now, and it feels like we played a lot of games together that have gone both ways, some really close, some not so close, winning, losing,” Cheatle said.
“It feels like we’ve been in every position, and we know how to get the job done in any position.”
WBBL|11 finals schedule
The Knockout: Perth Scorchers beat Melbourne Stars by 28 runs
The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers, 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)
