Deandra Dottin propels Strikers to maiden WBBL title in final against Sixers

West Indian Deandra Dottin starred with bat and ball to propel the Adelaide Strikers to their first WBBL title and a 10-run win over the Sydney Sixers in the final at North Sydney Oval.

Dottin (52 not out off 37 balls) finished the innings with a flourish as Adelaide made 147-5, a score which looked a little below par. She was uncharacteristically restrained for most of her innings but boosted the Strikers score by smashing two sixes and two fours in the last three overs.

Dottin (2-30 off four) then bowled a double-wicket maiden early in the Sixers chase as they lost four wickets for six runs and tumbled to 16-4 in the sixth over.

Adelaide had lost their two previous finals and it was the third time in four years they had made the season decider.

The Sixers innings started 15 minutes late as they waited for the sun to set with Strikers bowler Darcie Brown offering Sydney batter Suzie Bates her sunglasses. But the sun also set quickly on the Sixers innings after it started in front of 6478 fans.

In a dramatic second over of the innings bowled by Brown, Bates was dropped twice and Alyssa Healy was caught at square leg. Dottin then struck twice in four balls, having Bates caught at deep midwicket and player-of-the-tournament Ash Gardner taken at midwicket for a fourth-ball duck.

The collapse continued with Erin Burns stumped at the second attempt by Tegan McPharlin off Jemma Barsby. Ellyse Perry (33 off 32) and Nicole Bolton (32 off 27), who was playing the last match of her career, added 60 for the fifth wicket.

When they perished in successive overs, Sydney, who finished top of the table with a record 11 wins, were 82-6.

Some late hits from Maitlan Brown (34 off 17) and Sophie Ecclestone (15 off 8) and three dropped catches off Megan Schutt kept the Sixers in with a slight chance, but they were dismissed for 137 off the final ball.

The Strikers openers Katie Mack (31 off 26) and Laura Wolvaardt (15 off 16) made an excellent start, putting on 51 from the first 6.2 overs but fell in successive overs.

Dottin had a decent slab of luck in her influential innings. She was dropped on one at backward point, with a diving Bolton getting one hand to a tough chance. The West Indian power-hitter was caught at deep square leg off a full toss two balls later, but it was ruled a no-ball because the delivery was above waist height.

Two overs later, Dottin on eight had another reprieve off a no-ball, when she was caught off a miscued shot, but replays showed Perry overstepped.

Dottin and Tahlia McGrath (24 off 21) added 44 for the third wicket before the Strikers skipper lifted a Bolton delivery to long on.

The Strikers failed to capitalise on their power surge overs in losing 2-7.

England spinner Ecclestone (2-19 of 4) was the standout bowler for the Sixers.

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