In a nail-biting match between the Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers, Beth Mooney and Alana King performed exceptionally well as their teams qualified for the WBBL finals. The Scorchers will now take on the Hobart Hurricanes in the finals, as they won over the Sixers by 11 runs on Saturday.
“Beth Mooney’s Masterclass Sets Up Scorchers’ Total
Beth Mooney, as usual, demonstrated her elite level of consistency in scoring a magnificent 76, which stood as the second-highest individual score in WBBL finals history.
Although she received an early life on 9 due to a missed stumping attempt by Alyssa Healy, she made no mistake. She faced only three deliveries in her initial four overs, but she started taking control as she settled.
Katie Mack left for a well-crafted 40, then Mooney quickly accelerated, blasting Ash Gardner for a huge six. She reached her fifty in just 27 balls and was set for a blistering century before she was bowled lbw to Maitlan Brown in the 19th over.
Although there was a late collapse, where Perth Scorchers lost 5 wickets for 21 runs, crucial power-hitting incidents like Paige Scholfield’s back-to-back sixes off Amelia Kerr ensured a challenging total.
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Scorchers lose momentum late on, but post a challenging total As Scorchers lost
Scorchers were all set for a successful conclusion as Scholfield smacked Kerr for two consecutive sixes. But she retorted, taking her out with a top edge. This led to a stutter in the late innings, but Mooney’s initial brilliance meant that Perth still managed a reigning total.
Sydney Sixers Off to a Flier in Chase
The chase between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers started with positive momentum as Ellyse Perry and Sophia Dunkley started with a 58-run partnership. Dunkley was given a life on 15 as she skied a catch off Alana King.
The run rate that the Sixers needed, though, kept increasing.
There was a chip down the midwicket leg side from Perry, who had broken a century in their previous match as a means of assuring entry into the playoffs, to Alana King. Alyssa Healy, who has been having a tough season, was bowled by rising pacer Chloe Ainsworth for a mere handful of runs. His campaign came to an end with 119 runs in 13.22, which reflects his performance in WBBL 2024.
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Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers: Gardner and Kerr Fight Back, but King Takes Control
With their five-game winning streak, Ash Gardner and Amelia Kerr attempted to steady the chase, taking the momentum with 75 needed from 36 balls. The initial over of the surge scored 16 runs, giving a glimmer of hope for a Sixers comeback. But Alana King bowled a sensational second over, giving merely six runs and taking down Gardner with a catch at mid-off.
King then sent packing the dangerous Maitlan Brown, taking finishing match figures of 3 for 17. With 21 runs required from the last over, it proved too much for the Sixers, and that ensured a spot in the final for Perth.
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