Carmichael cameo gives Sydney Sixers last-ball WBBL win

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Carmichael cameo gives Sydney Sixers last-ball WBBL win


Sydney Sixers 140 for 7 (Carmichael 32*, Graham 3-18, A Smith 3-20) won Hobart Hurricanes 139 for 7 (Lee 50, Graham 36) for three wickets

A late cameo from Mathilda Carmichael guided the Sydney Sixers to a WBBL finals victory over Hobart Hurricanes, keeping their slim finals chances alive.

Carmichael top-scored with an unbeaten 32 off 21 balls batting at number 7 at Blundstone Arena on Monday night as the Sixers reached their target of 140 with three wickets remaining.

The Sixers needed 30 off the last three overs when Carmichael, a former Hockeyroos player, came to life with consecutive boundaries off Shabnim Ismail.

Needing 10 runs from the last over, Carmichael scored a crucial four off the first ball before a quick run tied the match with one ball remaining.

Kate Peterson held her nerve against Molly Strano’s swing to ice the game with a single on the final pitch.

The victory was the Sixers’ fourth in a row and puts them within two points of fourth-placed Brisbane Heat with four games remaining. The Heat still have five games under their belt.

The Hurricanes looked to have the upper hand when teenager Amy Smith and medium pacer Heather Graham put the pressure on in the middle and late overs.

Smith took career-best figures of 3 for 20, which included Ash Gardner’s big scalp in the 13th over. Graham took 3 for 18, including two wickets in the 16th over, leaving the Sixers reeling at 107 for 7.

Earlier, the Hurricanes posted 139 for 8 thanks to a 34-ball 50 from opener Lizelle Lee. She hit seven fours and a six and brought up her half-century with a boundary through cover, but was caught in the deep off the next ball.

Lee was supported by Graham, who was 36 for 28, but the Hurricanes fell towards the end of their innings.

They remain in sixth position in the standings with three wins in nine starts.