The stand-alone WBBL season gets underway tonight when the Sydney Sixers take on their cross-town rivals, the Sydney Thunder, at the iconic North Sydney Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:40pm AEDT.
The Sydney Sixers went down in a thrilling final last season to the Brisbane Heat and will be keen to go one better this year.
With the line up they have, the Sixers will be hot favourites to do just that. They have the best batting line up in the competition, featuring Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner.
Healy is in career-best form and the Thunder will need to get her early to prevent a big total from the Sixers.
The bowling attack is also strong, with South African Marizanne Kapp and Perry forming a lethal combination.
The Sydney Thunder have undergone a lot of change in the off-season, losing Indian Harmanpreet Kaur, West Indian Stafanie Taylor and Australian representative Nicola Carey.
However, they have picked up some promising talent, headlined by Pakistani allrounder, Nida Dar, South African quick Shabnim Ismail and young prodigy Phoebe Litchfield.
Rachael Haynes and Rachel Priest head up a strong-looking line-up, with Naomi Stalenberg likely to bat at no 3 which could help her surge toward Australian honours.
Prediction
Early season form is hard to gauge, so I am going to go out on a limb and tip an upset, with no confidence whatsoever.
The Sixers won’t have seen much of the new Thunder recruits and I think they will shine through to give the Sydney Thunder a tight win.
Sydney Thunder by 15 runs or 2 wickets.
When: 7:40pm AEDT
Where: North Sydney Oval
TV: Channel 7 and Fox Cricket
Online: Foxtel app or cricket.com.au
Odds: Sydney Sixers: $1.52; Sydney Thunder: $2.50
Sixers squad: Sarah Aley, Alisha Bates, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Ashleigh Gardner (Aus), Alyssa Healy (Aus), Jodie Hicks, Emma Hughes, Marizanne Kapp (SA), Ellyse Perry (Aus) (c), Hayley Silver-Holmes, Dane van Niekerk (SA), Lauren Smith
Thunder Squad: Rachael Haynes (Aus) (c), Sam Bates, Alex Blackwell, Nida Dar (Pak), Hannah Darlington, Rene Farrell, Lisa Griffith, Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail (SA), Kate Peterson, Rachel Priest (NZ), Naomi Stalenberg, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson
Simoc
Guest
Such a weak attempt by Thunder at the start of their innings. I turned it off it was so bad. I guess they can't get any worse.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Hope you enjoyed the coverage. Enjoy your weekend
David Holden
Roar Guru
The Sydney Sixers have had a comfortable 49 run win over the Sydney Thunder tonight. In reality, the match was won early after a great partnership between Perry and Healy. Perry took 2 early wickets in the Thunder innings and it was too much of an uphill climb. The Thunder showed enough to tell that they will be a force in the WBBL but the Sixers showed why they are the WBBL favourites
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Thunder seemed like they were never in the hunt for this one. Well Played Sixers.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Bates is in at 11. 19.4 Nicely hit over midwicket and a single 19.5 Griffith hits over cover and it lands safely 19.6 Griffith hits over cover for 4 and thats the game Sydney Thunder (9/143) 20 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 20. Smith to bowl 19.1 Dot ball 19.2 Griffith hits square for 1 19.3 Ismail hits square and tries to run 2 but is run out. WICKET Sydney Thunder (9/136) 19.3 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 19. Lisa Griffith is at the crease. Aley to bowl 18.1 Griffith works to mid wicket for 1 18.2 Farrell ramps that for 4 runs. Timed perfectly 18.3 Lofts to cover and they scamper through for 2 runs 18.4 Doubtful run but Farrell makes it home 18.5 Aley can't take a sharp chance and one run. 18.6 Farrell charges and misses, and is stumped. WICKET Sydney Thunder (8/134) 19 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
17.6 Farrell cuts well and that is 4 runs Sydney Thunder (7/125) 18 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 18 Burns bowling her 3rd 17.1 Farrell knocks it square for a single 17.2 Darlington hit on the pad and no run 17.3 Darlington works to deep mid wicket for 1 17.4 Farrell works behind square for 1 17.5 Wide down the leg side 17.5 Darlington hits high to long on and Lauren Smith takes the catch. WICKET Sydney Thunder (7/121) 17.5 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Aley is on a hatrick 16.6 Darlington blocks that out Sydney Thunder (6/117) 17 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Darlington is at the crease 16.5 Dar has holed at on the square boundary. WICKET Sydney Thunder (6/117) 16.5overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 17 Aley to bowl 16.1 Dar works to deep mid wicket for 1 16.2 Blackwell drags that to leg for a single 16.3 Dar sweeps to square leg and races for 1 16.4 Blackwell lofts to long off and Gardner has taken a smart catch. WICKET. Sydney Thunder (5/117) 16.4 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 16 Gardner to bowl 15.1 Blackwell hits straight down the ground for FOUR 15.2 Blackwell works to cover for 1 15.3 Dar hits to deep square for 2 runs 15.4 Dar can't get room there and no run 15.5 Dar lofts but its falls safe and they score 2 15.6 Dar works to deep square for 1 Sydney Thunder (4/114) 16 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
Jeff
Roar Rookie
How do you beat a team with Perry and Healy opening the batting?
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 15. Campbell will bowl her first 14.1 Wide ball to start 14.1 Dar works to point but no run 14.2 Dar hits to deep mid wicket. Good fielding keeps it to 2 runs 14.3 Mishit from Dar and no run 14.4 Dar works to point and no run 14.5 Wide ball as it slides down leg 14.5 Dar plays to deep point for 1 14.6 Blackwell works it to 3rd man and that is her 50! Sydney Thunder (4/104) 15 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Dar comes in 13.4 Wide ball from Silver-Holmes 13.4 Dar works to long on for a single 13.5 Wide ball from Silver-Holmes 13.5 Hits the pad off Blackwell and they run 1 13.6 Dar works to deep square for a single Sydney Thunder (4/98) 14 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 14 Blackwell is on 43 and Litchfield 26 Silver-Holmes to bowl 13.1 Blackwell cuts behind point for FOUR 13.2 Chipped to deep mid wicket for 1 13.3 Litchfield caught in front off a slow yorker. WICKET Sydney Thunder (4/93) 13.3 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 13. Aley to bowl her 2nd over 12.1 Blackwell caught on the crease and no run 12.2 Blackwell skies but it drops short and she gets a single 12.3 Litchfield works to mid wicket for 1 12.4 Blackwell works behind square and its races away for FOUR 12.5 Blackwell hits hard to long on for 1 12.6 Play and a miss from Litchfield Sydney Thunder (3/88) 13 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 12. Burns to bowl her 2nd 11.1 Classy from Litchfield and she drives through the covers for FOUR 11.2 Wide ball from Burns 11.2 Litchfield strokes that down to long on for 1 11.3 Blackwell lofts straight and that's a big SIX 11.4 Blackwell works to mid wicket for a further single 11.5 Litchfield works to cover but no run 11.6 No run but a good over for the Thunder Sydney Thunder (3/81) 12 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Over 11. Perry returns looking for a breakthrough 10.1 Short from Perry and Blackwell can't connect 10.2 Short again and Blackwell plays and misses 10.3 Blackwell picks up that short one and pulls to midwicket for FOUR 10.4 Played back down the pitch to Perry 10.5 Blackwell picks up a single into the covers 10.6 Short ball and Litchfield looks uncomfortable, but gets it away for one Sydney Thunder (3/68) 11 overs Sydney Sixers (6/192) 20 overs