Sydney Sixers women 4 for 131 (Perry 54*, Tahuhu 1-18) tied with Melbourne Renegades 6 for 131 (Molineux 55, Burns 2-13)
Super over Sydney Sixers women 0 for 9 beat Melbourne Renegades women 1 for 6
Is there anything Ellyse Perry can't do?
A stunning six in a Super Over saw the Sydney Sixers keep the dream of three consecutive titles alive scraping past the Melbourne Renegades in a remarkable game. They will face the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL final next Saturday following a day of heart-stopping semi-finals at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.
Perry had earlier batted through the Sixers innings making 54 not out, taken a key wicket, made a crucial run-out and held a vital catch before bowling the final over that saw the match end in a tie. And after all of that, she clubbed Molly Strano for six off the fourth ball of the Super Over to win the game.
Strano only had six runs to play with after Sixers pacer Marizanne Kapp had held the Renegades to four singles and a two.
The Super Over was an anti-climax compared to the chaotic final ball sequence in the Renegades chase.
Sophie Molineux, on 53 having controlled the chase magnificently, faced Perry needing three runs to win off the final ball. Molineux carved it just over backward point's head. Erin Burns sprinted from deep cover-point to make a remarkable diving save to prevent the boundary. Sarah Aley was there in support to fire the throw to the keeper's end. Molineux's partner Claire Koski made her ground coming back for three but Molineux had been slower covering the ground. Alyssa Healy ripped her glove off, gathered Aley's throw and fired to the non-striker's and delivered a direct hit to catch a diving Molineux short to leave scores tied.
Healy produced another direct hit run-out in Kapp's excellent Super Over. Kapp found Dani Wyatt's outside edge with a slower ball but the nick fell just short of Healy. Wyatt went to run but was sent back, only to be run out by Healy's accurate underarm.
Molineux's remarkable innings was in vain. She made 55 off 54 balls only to be just inches short of winning the game. Her innings was even more special given the Renegades had slumped to 3 for 19 chasing 132. But she got superb support from Jess Duffin who made a vital 41 from 34 balls. But after Duffin and Courtney Webb fell, the Renegades needed 45 from the final four overs. Koski clubbed 19 from 14 to aid Molineux but left her needing 13 from the last over. Molineux struck a boundary first ball, but Burns' save denied her a boundary off the last to save the game for the Sixers.
Earlier, Perry and Dane van Niekerk saved the Sixers blushes with the bat with an unbeaten 98-run stand to set the Renegades a stiff target. The Sixers looked in a world of trouble losing three wickets in the Powerplay and slumping to 4 for 33 in the ninth over.
Healy fell in the third over with only eight runs on the board, swiping a slog sweep straight down the throat of Wyatt at deep midwicket off Molineux. It was the fifth time in WBBL Healy fell to Molineux's left-arm orthodox.
Amy Satterthwaite's bold move to place herself at slip to Lea Tahuhu paid immediate dividends, with the captain pouching a low catch from Ashleigh Gardner's outside edge. Burns was run out after a horror mix-up with Perry before Sara McGlashan chipped a simple catch to cover-point off Georgia Wareham.
Perry, in the form of her life, had struck her first ball for four but really struggled for fluency thereafter. Van Niekerk's vast experience provided the perfect foil. Despite the horror scenario, the pair didn't panic. They rotated the strike comfortably and ticked the scoreboard over without taking undue risks during a six-over rebuild. They then unleashed late. Perry reached her eighth score of 50 or more for the tournament. Van Niekerk's 51 not out from 36 balls was even more valuable. The South African struck three fours and a six in the last three overs which proved pivotal in the end.
