Ash Gardner helps solidify Sydney Sixers' top-four chances

Ashleigh Gardner smashed a 31-ball 50 and then came back to pick three wickets as Sydney Sixers downed Melbourne Stars by 16 runs to strengthen their top-four chances. Gardner's effort as well as that of Sophia Dunkley (41 off 37) pushed the Sixers to 164/5. Maia Bouchier attempted to power the chase after a PowerPlay collapse but her 67 came in a losing cause. With this win, the Sixers are at third spot, tied on points with the second-placed Stars (11), but have played a game fewer.

Sixers lost Ellyse Perry in the second over after Gardner chose to bat at the Drummoyne Oval but Dunkley and Alyssa Healy forged a stand past the PowerPlay. Healy however, didn't quite get going in full flow and was snuffed out by Sophie Day in the ninth over for a 23-ball 20. Gardner arrived and got together with Dunkley to push the team past the 100-run mark. Dunkley however, was run out just before the innings entered the death overs. Gardner then fell in the 18th over but the Sixers amassed 48 runs in the last five overs to post a total well in excess of 150.

Given how the Stars' chase began, 164/5 seemed herculean. Stars lost Rhys McKenna, Amy Jones, Annabel Sutherland and Meg Lanning inside the PowerPlay for just 30 runs. Bouchier and Kim Garth pushed back from there with an 82-run partnership off 57 deliveries to keep the chase alive. The team headed into the death overs needing 53 off 30 balls but were severely dented straightaway. Gardner returned and broke the partnership with the wicket of Garth. Danielle Gibson arrived and kept the fielding team on their toes by cracking two fours in the 16th over. She hit another four off Amelia Kerr in the 17th over but Mady Villiers took out Bouchier in the 18th over. Only three more runs came from that over, leaving the Stars to get 31 off 12. Maitlan Brown bowled an exceptional penultimate over, conceding just fours and dismissing Gibson. The Stars needed 27 off the last over and managed just 10 to suffer the defeat.

Brief Scores:
Sydney Sixers 164/5 in 20 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 50, Sophia Dunkley 41; Sophie Day 2-27) beat Melbourne Stars (Maia Bouchier 67; Ashleigh Gardner 3-31, Maitlan Brown 2-25) by 16 runs