Perth Scorchers 189 for 6 (Mooney 91*, Jones 28, Perry 2-26) won Sydney Sixers 128 (Perry 40, Ainsworth 2-12, Edgar 2-23) by 61 runs

Perry was 2-for-26 with the ball, making two receptions in the field and had a run on a direct hit. He then made a good start with the bat, hitting five fours and two sixes to get the Sixers’ chase off to a positive start.

But his decision to take a quick single after playing a shot at mid-on proved disastrous, with Piepa Cleary collecting the ball on the run and throwing the stumps in the same action to find Perry yards from his crease.

Perry’s dismissal for 40 off 29 balls sparked a collapse of 6 off 37 as the Sixers crashed to defeat, ending their four-match winning streak.

The result left the Scorchers (8-3) two points clear at the top of the standings, while the Sixers (5-6) are fifth and face a battle to reach the final with just three games remaining.

Perry sent the dangerous Sophie Devine packing for 12 with one run as Scorchers stumbled to 24 for 2 at the start of their innings.

But from then on it was the Mooney show as the 29-year-old hit nine fours and four sixes to dismantle the Sixers’ attack. Mooney has scored 509 runs this season to lead the race for the Golden Bat.

“I’m happy with how it’s going, but it only counts if we get to that final,” Mooney told Fox Cricket after the match. “Hopefully we keep going and humming very well. Today was a complete performance by the Scorchers. I think our players did an incredible job.”