West Indian Deandra Dottin starred with bat and ball to propel the Adelaide Strikers to their first WBBL title and a 10-run win over the Sydney Sixers in the final at North Sydney Oval.
Dottin (52 not out off 37 balls) finished the innings with a flourish as Adelaide made 5-147, a score which looked a little below par.
She was uncharacteristically restrained for most of her innings but boosted the Strikers’ score by smashing two sixes and two fours in the last three overs.
Dottin (2-30 off 4) then bowled a double-wicket maiden early in the Sixers chase as they lost 4-6 and tumbled to 4-16 in the sixth over.
Adelaide had lost their two previous finals and it was the third time in four years they had made the season decider.
The Sixers’ innings started 15 minutes late as they waited for the sun to set with Strikers bowler Darcie Brown offering Sydney batter Suzie Bates her sunglasses.
But the sun also set quickly on the Sixers’ innings after it started in front of 6478 fans.
In a dramatic second over of the innings bowled by Brown, Bates was dropped twice and Alyssa Healy was caught at square leg.
Dottin then struck twice in four balls, having Bates caught at deep midwicket and player-of-the-tournament Ash Gardner taken at midwicket for a fourth-ball duck.
The collapse continued with Erin Burns stumped at the second attempt by Tegan McPharlin off Jemma Barsby.
Ellyse Perry (33 off 32) and Nicole Bolton (32 off 27), who was playing the last match of her career, added 60 for the fifth wicket.
When they perished in successive overs, Sydney, who finished top of the table with a record 11 wins, were 6-82.
Some late hits from Maitlan Brown (34 off 17) and Sophie Ecclestone (15 off 8) and three dropped catches off Megan Schutt kept the Sixers in with a slight chance, but they were dismissed for 137 off the final ball.
The Strikers openers Katie Mack (31 off 26) and Laura Wolvaardt (15 off 16) made an excellent start, putting on 51 from the first 6.2 overs but fell In successive overs.
Dottin had a decent slab of luck in her influential innings.
She was dropped on one at backward point, with a diving Bolton getting one hand to a tough chance
The West Indian power-hitter was caught at deep square leg off a full toss two balls later, but it was ruled a no-ball because the delivery was above waist height.
Two overs later, Dottin on eight had another reprieve off a no-ball, when she was caught off a miscued shot, but replays showed Perry overstepped.
Dottin and Tahlia McGrath (24 off 21) added 44 for the third wicket before the Strikers skipper lifted a Bolton delivery to long on.
The Strikers failed to capitalise on their power surge overs in losing 2-7.
England spinner Ecclestone (2-19 of 4) was the standout bowler for the Sixers.
Sam 3 Can
Guest
Great win .
Clear as mud
Guest
And Burns over Harris Jnr
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Good on the Strikers, beating the glamour team with so many Aus players. Hope the selectors are eating humble pie. How do the likes of Georgia Redmayne, Laura Harris & Amanda Jade Wellington not get picked after being so influential in their teams performance this year.
Clear as mud
Guest
The fielding has declined in the last two weeks, the Heat dropped about 15 in their last 3-4 games We were there last night, it was a strange game. The Sixers seemed off all night. Bowled poorly. Other than Burns, who was immaculate as ever, fielded sloppily. Seemed mute on the field. Yet the Strikers kept playing them back into it. Just when it looked like 170 was on the table, bad shots could have kept them to 135. Pez’ fatal overstep against Dottin the key moment really. The fabulous Peterson from the wrong end against Dottin late crucial, with 147 prob enough in a final based on the previous edition. The Sixers have been poor in the power play most of the season and as much as I rate Shooter and Brown, there were plenty of ordinary balls hit straight to the field. Bates frenetic approach perhaps affecting Healy but she is so duck or hundred these days it’s hard to know. Almost brain fades herself into a diamond duck. Gardner similar, she had a shocker all day. We were saying they should send in a pinch hitter to break it up but I knew they were stuffed when the excellent Burns played around one, the keeper fumbled, and there was still time to stump her. Perry looked Like playing the counter attack they needed, but 15 off 10 became 28 off 30 - and many of those dots were well struck shots off nothing balls - straight to a lone fielder in the covers. Surprisingly it was Bolton who became fluent and started to manipulate the field - the timing of her wicket was crucial. Perry going straight after summer is her night. Not quite there. Her speech tho was magnificent. And she was still there on the fence an hour later, taking time with each and every fan. Love to know the players’ view on the finals format. Strikers playing Thursday on a classic and a FIFO Raid with momentum, versus Sixers sitting around for a week with the weight of expectation. And one loss and they are out. Oh well. None of that to diminish the Strikers. Great team. Good people. Deserve to win one. 100 supporters, mostly family. We became honorary Strikers to add our support, given the silence of much of the home crowd - pretty poor. Can’t wait for the India series. Can’t wait for the WNCL
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Great effort by the Strikers - wasn't sure 147 was going to be enough against the Strikers batting depth - but their bowling was excellent - particularly Brown and Schutt - great to see them get up after not given much chance leading into the match. Can't believe they dropped at least 5 catches and still won. Plenty of work to do there.