Franchise Cricket

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Perth Scorchers kept their Women's Big Bash League qualification hopes alive after a dramatic tie with Sydney Sixers.

Scorchers were bowled out for 126 in 19.2 overs, with Australia all-rounder Ash Gardner starring with 4-21 for the Sixers.

Sixers then reached the same total by the end of their 20 overs, despite opener Ellyse Perry's 67 from 53 balls, which resulted in a super over where both teams finished on 15.

The tied match sees both teams take a point, leaving Scorchers fourth in the table and Sixers in sixth.

The top four teams will progress to the knockout stage of the competition.

Scorchers were left to rue a collapse from 95-1 in their first innings, with Beth Mooney scoring 44 and New Zealand's Brooke Halliday adding 41 before they lost their last nine wickets for 31 runs.

Alongside Gardner, leg-spinner Melie Kerr and seamer Courtney Sippel took two wickets each while 15-year-old all-rounder Caoimhe Bray bowled Mooney and executed a sensational direct-hit run out while fielding off her own bowling.

Australia's Perry anchored the Sixers' innings but struggled for support as no other batter passed 20, as her international team-mate Alana King claimed 3-21 with her leg-spin.

Perry then struck a four and a six off Daisy Edgar's super over, before Mikayla Hinkley blasted 14 from four balls for the Scorchers to match their total despite losing Mooney from the first ball.

In the day's other game, Melbourne Renegades beat Hobart Hurricanes to secure their place in the knockouts. Their final game will decide which place they occupy and their path to the final.

• Latest WBBL table

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Sydney Thunder became the first team to guarantee their place in the Women's Big Bash knockouts with a nervy four-wicket win over Melbourne Stars.

Chasing 109 to win, Thunder slipped to 15-3 in the fifth over and then 37-4 when Georgia Adams was out for 10.

Tahlia Wilson made 33 but was dismissed by Kim Garth to leave Thunder 86-5 and needing 23 off 19 balls.

Sammy-Jo Johnson fell cheaply, leaving Thunder needing eight from the final over, but Anika Learoyd (31 not out) hit two fours to seal the win with two balls to spare.

Earlier, Stars posted 108-9, with opener Sophie Reid top-scoring with just 21.

Thunder will secure top spot and a guaranteed place in the final, which takes place on 1 December, if they win their final game against Melbourne Renegades on Friday (23:00 GMT). A defeat would mean other results would decide who seals that place.

Stars are now unable to reach the knockouts, despite having two games left.

Full WBBL table & fixtures

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The Women's Big Bash group stage is nearing its conclusion.

The top four teams progress with the group stage leaders progressing automatically to the final on 1 December.

Third play fourth in the Knockout on 27 November, with the winner playing the second-placed team in the Challenger on 29 November for a place in the final.

Here is what each of the eight teams needs to progress to the knockouts:

Sydney Thunder: They would secure top and a final place with two wins. One win would see them progress but may not be enough for top.

Melbourne Renegades & Brisbane Heat: Only two wins would guarantee their progression, but one win is likely to be enough because of their inferior net run-rates.

Hobart Hurricanes, Perth Scorchers & Sydney Sixers: All three sides will likely need to win their remaining two matches to progress. Even then it is likely that net run-rate will decide who goes through.

Adelaide Strikers: They need to win their final game, while drastically improving their net run-rate, and hope that an unlikely set of results go in their favour.

Melbourne Stars: They likely need to win all three of their remaining games to have any chance of progressing. Even then it's likely to come down to net run-rate.

• Remaining Women's Big Bash fixtures

Commentary on all three knockout games will be available on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app.

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The Women's Big Bash group stage draws to a conclusion this week and commentaries continue across BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app.

Ball-by-ball updates will be provided by ABC Grandstand in Australia.

Here's the schedule for 18-24 November:

Tuesday, 19 November: Adelaide Strikers v Perth Scorchers (07:00 GMT)

Wednesday, 20 November: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars (07:00 GMT)

Thursday, 21 November: Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers (04:30 GMT) & Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Renegades (08:00 GMT)

All times are broadcast start times, and subject to change. All commentaries are available to UK users only.

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Lizelle Lee became the first player to score back-to-back centuries in the Women's Big Bash League in Hobart Hurricanes' 28-run win over Adelaide Strikers.

After her record-breaking 150 not out against Perth Scorchers on Sunday, Lee struck 103 from just 59 balls as Hurricanes posted 191-2 from their 20 overs.

The former South Africa batter hit 13 fours and four sixes in another destructive knock, supported by Australian Nicola Carey's unbeaten 64 from 46 balls.

In reply, defending champions Strikers reached 163-3, with South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt finishing with 63 not out from 40 balls, and India opener Smriti Mandhana scoring 51.

England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge made a first-ball duck for the Hurricanes as she was bowled by Australia's Megan Schutt, the only bowler to take a wicket in the innings as Lee was run out in the 15th over.

Lee is now the tournament's leading run-scorer with 324 runs in seven innings at an an average of 54, ahead of Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry with 315 runs in six innings.

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The Women's Big Bash enters the second half of the group stage this week and commentaries continue across BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app.

Ball-by-ball updates will be provided by ABC Grandstand in Australia.

Here's the schedule for 11-17 November:

Monday, 11 November: Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades (07:00 GMT)

Tuesday, 12 November: Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers (07:00 GMT)

Wednesday, 13 November: Hobart Hurricanes v Adelaide Strikers (07:00 GMT)

Thursday, 14 November: Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat (04:15 GMT)

Friday, 15 November: Perth Scorchers v Sydney Thunder (04:15 GMT) & Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades (08:00 GMT)

Sunday, 17 November: Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat (02:45 GMT) & Sydney Thunder v Sydney Sixers (06:15 GMT)

All times are broadcast start times, and subject to change. All commentaries are available to UK users only.

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England spinner Sophie Ecclestone took 3-18 to help Sydney Sixers claim a six-run victory over Melbourne Stars in a rain-affected Women's Big Bash League match.

After the game was initially shortened to 18 overs per side because of rain, the Stars compiled 122-7, captain Annabel Sutherland top scoring with 42 off 36 balls.

Ecclestone claimed the wickets of Stars opener Yastika Bhatia, former Australia captain Meg Lanning and India all-rounder Deepti Sharma in Melbourne.

Scotland wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce fell for just one in reply, but Australia star Ellyse Perry and New Zealand all-rounder Melie Kerr kept the Sixers ahead of the required rate.

Perry hit 48 not out off 44, with Kerr making an unbeaten 46 off 41 on her Sixers debut, to ensure the visitors were above the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score when rain returned after 15 overs and no further play was possible.

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Birmingham Phoenix Women have appointed Alistair Maiden as their head coach for the 2025 season of The Hundred.

Maiden, 42, replaces Ben Sawyer, who was released at the end of his contract after five years in charge.

Former England Women assistant coach Maiden was recently also appointed the first head coach of Bears Women.

He was part of the coaching staff that led London Spirit Women to their first Hundred title in the summer.

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Alice Capsey took her first five-wicket haul but was dismissed for a first-ball duck in Melbourne Renegades' low-scoring defeat by Perth Scorchers in the Women's Big Bash League.

This was Capsey’s latest failure in a run of poor returns with the bat, having only scored 27 runs in five innings in the WBBL so far, with a high-score of 14.

Capsey’s bad form with the bat began in October's T20 World Cup, where she made three single-figure scores, contributing to England’s group-stage exit from the tournament.

The 20-year-old took 5-25 in 3.5 overs, with three of those wickets coming in the final over, as Scorchers were bowled out for 108 in 19.5 overs.

Capsey, who is now the third-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, was then dismissed from the fourth ball of the Renegades chase by Chloe Ainsworth, after Courtney Webb was dismissed from the third.

Renegades were eventually bowled out for 106 from the final ball of their innings and they have now lost three of their five games. Scorchers have won three of their four matches.

Both teams face their next game on Saturday with Scorchers facing Hobart Hurricanes (23:10 GMT), while Renegades play Melbourne Stars (04:00 GMT).

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Heather Knight hit an unbeaten 59 off 34 balls as Sydney Thunder beat Brisbane Heat by 19 runs in the Women's Big Bash League.

Knight's half-century was her second in three matches for Thunder since she returned from the calf injury she sustained in England's final game against West Indies at the T20 World Cup in October.

The 33-year-old hit 10 fours in her knock and has now scored 135 runs in three innings, at an incredible strike-rate of 175.32.

She was supported by Phoebe Litchfield's 40 off 25 balls and Chamari Athapaththu's 33 as Thunder posted 170-5 in Perth.

Thunder then struck twice in the powerplay with Georgia Redmayne (nine) and Jemimah Rodrigues (five) dismissed, before restricting Heat to 98-5.

Charli Knott hit 55 off 37 balls to give Heat hope but Thunder bowled Heat out for 151 in the final over for their third win in four games.

"I’m really pleased," Knight told ABC Grandstand. "It was difficult to start but when you get in you can really cash in so that is what I tried to do.

"It was a really pleasing performance and different players are performing at different times."

Thunder's next game is the Sydney derby against Sixers on Sunday (02:40 GMT), while Heat play Adelaide Strikers on Saturday (08:15 GMT).

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Ellyse Perry hit her third half-century in four games as Sydney Sixers edged past Hobart Hurricanes by six runs in the Women's Big Bash.

Perry smashed 11 fours and two sixes in her 86 off 62 balls, before she was dismissed off the final ball of the innings as Sixers posted 155-7.

The 34-year-old is the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 252, ahead of Australia team-mate Beth Mooney on 144.

Perry was ably supported by England's Hollie Armitage, who made 30 off 25 balls.

Hurricanes made a strong start to their chase but lost England's Danni Wyatt-Hodge (30) with the first ball after the powerplay.

Number one ranked T20 bowler Sophie Ecclestone (2-22) combined with 15-year-old Caoimhe Bray (2-13) to restrict Hurricanes through the middle overs.

They needed 20 off the final over and managed to take 13 off Ash Gardner but fell short to suffer a third defeat in their opening five games.

Sixers' win is their second in four matches and they join six other teams on four points.

They are back in action on Thursday night (00:00 GMT, Friday) against Melbourne Stars, while Hurricanes host Perth Scorchers on Saturday (23:10 GMT).