Adelaide Strikers 124 for 3 (Mack 45) beat Sydney Sixers 122 for 8 (Tryon 39, Perry 37, Gibson 3-34) by seven wickets

The Sydney Sixers’ WBBL season was all but over after they fell to a seven-wicket defeat against the Adelaide Strikers, who in turn remained in the hunt to host the final.

As of Saturday night, the Sixers still had the slimmest mathematical chance of making the top four, but that would be extinguished if the Brisbane Heat beat the Melbourne Stars on Sunday. That would also ensure them in the top four with one week left in the regular season and would leave the fight for the hosting rights of the final.

The team that finishes second will receive the Challenger, against the winner of the Qualifiers that will be played at the same venue.

The Sixers needed multiple early breakthroughs to have a chance, but although Lauren Cheatle made an excellent delivery to knock Laura Wolvaardt off off stump, that was their only breakthrough.

Mack, who has had another very consistent season, added a steady 52 with McGrath and then Patterson picked up the pace with 20 off 12 balls.

The Sixers’ batting effort had initially shown some encouraging signs, but they struggled to pick up the pace. Suzie Bates returned to the top of the order after a spell in the middle, but she couldn’t find her rhythm before falling 5 for 13.

Ash Gardner’s poor season with the bat, in which his average has been below 20, continued as he worked for 8 off 10 balls.

After 10 overs, the Sixers were scoring at a run-a-ball short and soon after Perry became McGrath’s second wicket. The forward spinners made an impact during the middle phase of the innings with Anesu Mushangwe and Amanda-Jade Wellington taking a combined 3 for 29 in six overs despite a very short boundary.

Chloe Tryon tried to keep things going for the Sixers and hit a huge six in the ground, but apart from her and Perry, Erin Burns, with a single boundary, was the only other batsman able to find the rope.