Beth Mooney’s sublime 76 and Alana King’s brilliant bowling guided Perth Scorchers into the WBBL final, edging out Sydney Sixers by 11 runs in a thrilling Challenger match.
Chasing 184, the Sixers started strongly with Ellyse Perry and Sophia Dunkley putting on 58, but wickets fell quickly thereafter. King’s fiery second-over spell and her match-winning figures of 3 for 17 kept the pressure on, removing Ash Gardner and Maitlan Brown during the crucial power surge.
Mooney anchored the Scorchers’ innings, reaching her fifty off just 27 deliveries and punishing the Sixers’ bowlers despite a few near misses, including a life on 9 early in her innings. Katie Mack contributed a valuable 40, but Perth’s late wobble of 5 for 21 was recovered thanks to timely boundaries from Mooney and disciplined death bowling from King.
The Sixers fought back valiantly, with Gardner and Amelia Kerr adding 53 runs for the fourth wicket. However, the asking rate kept climbing, and King’s brilliance with the ball ensured Scorchers held on. Perry and Dunkley could not break the resistance, leaving Sixers on 172 for 6, just short of the target.
Perth Scorchers will now face Hobart Hurricanes in the final on Saturday, with Mooney in sensational form and King leading the attack, promising another thrilling contest in the WBBL.
