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The Adelaide Strikers have created history by winning their first WBBL championship with a 10-run triumph over the Sydney Sixers in the final.
- The Strikers had set the Stars 148 for victory
- The Stars were dismissed for 137 on the final delivery of their innings
- Deandra Dottin starred with 52 not out for the Strikers
An unbeaten half-century from West Indian Deandra Dottin (52 from 37 deliveries) helped the Strikers set the Stars a victory target of 148 at North Sydney Oval.
The Stars struggled early in their run chase to be 4-16 at one stage, with Alyssa Healy (1) and Ashleigh Gardner (duck) making no impression against the Strikers' bowling attack.
Ellyse Perry and Nicole Bolton steadied the Stars' innings with a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket, giving hope to the home side's legion of fans.
The partnership ended when Bolton was bowled by Tahlia McGrath for 32, before Perry was removed by Darcie Brown for 33.
Sophie Ecclestone (15) and Maitlan Brown (34) created some headaches with the bat late in the Stars' innings, but it was not enough to get their side over the line.
The Stars were eventually dismissed for 137 on the final delivery of the match.
The Strikers had lost in their two previous appearances in the WBBL final, which included last year's season decider against the Perth Scorchers.
Dottin had finished the Strikers' innings with a flourish as the visitors made 5-147, a score which looked 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 overs) later bowled a double-wicket maiden early in the Sixers' run chase.
The Sixers started their innings 15 minutes late as they waited for the sun to set, with Darcie Brown even offering Suzie Bates her sunglasses.
In a dramatic second over of the innings bowled by Brown, Bates was dropped twice and Healy was caught at square leg.
Dottin then struck twice in four balls, having Bates (10) caught at deep midwicket and Gardner taken at midwicket for a fourth-ball duck.
The collapse continued with Erin Burns (1) stumped at the second attempt by Tegan McPharlin off Jemma Barsby.
When Perry and the retiring Bolton were dismissed in successive overs, the Sixers — who finished top of the ladder with a record 11 wins — were 6-82.
Three dropped catches off Megan Schutt's bowling kept the Sixers in with a slight chance, but the match concluded when Maitlan Brown was caught by Laura Wolvaardt off Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Earlier, Strikers' openers Katie Mack (31 off 26) and Wolvaardt (15 off 16) made an excellent start, putting on 51 from the first 6.2 overs before falling In successive overs.
Dottin had a decent slab of luck in her influential innings. She was dropped on 1 at backward point, with a diving Bolton getting one hand to a tough chance.
The Strikers' 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 had another reprieve off a no-ball when she was caught off a miscued shot, but replays showed Perry overstepped.
Dottin and 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 four overs) was the standout bowler for the Sixers.
ABC/AAP