WBBL round-up: Perry, Burns star for Sydney Sixers

Ellyse Perry was in the runs again as her unbeaten 70 anchored the Sydney Sixers to a 39-run victory against the Hobart Hurricanes in Launceston. The Sixers only used four batters as Perry and Alyssa Healy (39) - who launched into Nicola Carey's first over which cost 26 - added 72 for the first wicket before Ash Gardner (28) joined in a 51-run stand for the second followed by Erin Burns' cameo of 26 off 16 balls to help round off a total of 2 for 172. Carey came back well from the early onslaught, bowling Healy and conceding 26 off her next three overs - which included the final ball of the innings being hit for six by Perry, her fourth of the innings. The chase proved well out of reach for the Hurricanes as they slid from 3 for 92 to 133 all out. Marizanne Kapp did early damage with wickets in her first two overs and Burns wrapped up the match with 3 for 5.

Defending champions the Brisbane Heat produced an excellent chase led by the prolific Beth Mooney as they knocked off 167 with three balls to spare in a nine-wicket win against the Melbourne Stars who remain bottom after their seventh defeat in eight matches. Mooney, who finished unbeaten on 70 to stretch her lead as the top run-scorer of the season, added 92 in 10 overs for the first wicket with Maddy Green who hit 56 off 33 balls. However, neither was player of the match with the award going to Mignon du Preez who made 88 off 51 balls after the Stars had lost both overs inside three overs to be 2 for 12. Du Preez, who hit 12 fours and two sixes, added 102 with Annabel Sutherland, but although the Stars stretched the chase to the final over the result was rarely in doubt.

The Perth Scorchers produced an impressive display with the ball as they defended 116 against the Sydney Thunder at the WACA to lift themselves towards the top of the table. Ireland seamer Kim Garth took 3 for 21 as all the Scorchers bowlers got among the wickets. The Thunder were two down without a run on the board as Nat Sciver and Taneale Peschel struck in their opening overs and the slide continued. Pakistan allrounder Nida Dar did her best to keep the Thunder alive with 43 off 39 balls but was the last batter out in the final over having run out of partners. She was comfortably the top scoring the contest, with Sciver and Heather Graham both making 27 for the Scorchers, after a juggle to the batting order saw Georgia Redmayne fall for a duck having been promoted to open in place of Meg Lanning who struck the only six of the match in her 25 off 29 balls.