Strikers win last-ball thriller against Scorchers

The Adelaide Strikers won a last-ball thriller at the WACA on Sunday, with a Dani Gibson four on the final delivery securing her side a six-wicket win against the Perth Scorchers.

Needing 12 off the final over, Gibson hit three boundaries to secure the win, which took the Strikers back to the top of the Weber WBBL|09 standings.

At the bat-flip, the Strikers lost and were sent into bat by the Scorchers in the first match of First Nations Round.

The innings got off to the perfect start for the Strikers, with Megan Schutt getting accomplished Australian opening batter Beth Mooney out for a duck in the first over.

From there, a good partnership developed between Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine and Maddy Darke, with a number of dropped catches hurting the Strikers.

However, an amazing Amanda-Jade Wellington delivery went around the legs of Darke to get the breakthrough in the ninth over.

The very next ball, Tahlia McGrath also rattled the stumps, getting her opposition captain out for 28.

That brought two new batters to the crease – the Scorchers’ English imports Amy Jones and Natalie Sciver-Brunt.

They also had a good partnership, led by the number one ranked women’s batter in the world Sciver-Brunt, who hit a crucial half-century.

Wellington was again the one to get the breakthrough, this time getting Jones stumped.

After a brilliant, economical innings, Schutt had the penultimate over, bowling Alana King to finish with figures of 2-25 from her four overs.

The final over was bowled by Wellington, who earned another stumping – this time Sciver-Brunt – and she also finished her four overs with superb figures of 3-25.

A run-out on the final ball left the Scorchers with 7-165 from the 20 overs, leaving the Strikers 166 to chase.

Opener Katie Mack led the way as she has so often done for the Strikers, hitting her third half-century of the competition as she became the BKT Golden Bat leader as the highest run-scorer of WBBL|09 so far.

McGrath (30) and Bridget Patterson (35) had solid contributions alongside Mack throughout the innings.

Some smart cricket from Devine ran out Mack for 71 from 52 runs as she went for crucial extra runs in the penultimate over, bringing Dani Gibson to the crease with the game in the balance.

Needing 12 off the final over, Gibson showed why she was drafted from England by the Strikers, hitting two fours and a six in the final over to finish 16 not out from seven balls and secure the Strikers a clutch victory.

The win completed a successful trip to Perth for the reigning Champions, after they also had a comprehensive victory in the Grand Final rematch against the Sydney Sixers on Friday.

The Strikers will now turn their attention to a home match on Wednesday evening against the Melbourne Renegades, beginning at 6:40pm.

Buy your tickets to the match at Karen Rolton Oval to support the top-of-the-table Strikers here.