Healy ton helps Sixers pip Scorchers in a thriller

Alyssa Healy notched her fifth WBBL century, crunching a boundary from the final ball to deliver Sydney Sixers victory over Perth Scorchers to keep them on top of the ladder.

Chasing the Scorchers' 4 for 176 at Junction Oval, Healy was battling on 1 off 10 balls. But the new Australian vice-captain found her groove to finish on an unbeaten 107 off 64, pairing with Ellyse Perry for a 154-run stand that powered the Sixers to within 20 of the target with two overs to bowl.

After going for 17 runs off her previous over, Scorchers captain Sophie Devine had Perry (48 off 40) dismissed and Healy dropped in a fine 19th over that left the Sixers still needing 14.

Healy watched from the other end as Ashleigh Gardner hit the first two deliveries for six. She was bowled from the next ball and Piepa Cleary was on a hat-trick after claiming Erin Burns next ball. Nicole Bolton chipped that delivery just short of deep midwicket for a single and then, with one to win off the final delivery, Healy gave herself room and calmly dispatched the winning runs to the cover boundary, letting out a boisterous cry in the process.

No other player has scored more than three WBBL hundreds, Healy's century coming off 62 balls and featuring a one-handed six over mid-off.

Victory keeps Sixers on top of the ladder. Scorchers, who beat them last week, could have jumped above them from fourth with victory.

Earlier, Beth Mooney and Marizanne Kapp put on 97 off 58 balls to continue their own stellar form. Their stand came a day after combining for a devastating 123-run partnership in just 56 deliveries, Mooney also scoring an unbeaten 99 against the same opponents last week.

But Gardner (2 for 30 from four overs) helped slow them just enough, moving to the top of the competition wicket-takers' board in the process.

Annabel Sutherland hit three sixes in the final over to deliver a stunning last-ball win for the Melbourne Stars over the Melbourne Renegades.

Needing 23 to win from the final over, 21-year-old allrounder Sutherland held her nerve and swung freely to bring to life a chase that looked futile. Sutherland (62 not out off 29) cleared the boundary twice off Sophie Molineux's left-arm spin, the bowler's knee buckling as she delivered the second of those deliveries. Molineux was assisted from the ground and Georgia Prestwidge was thrown the ball for the first time with nine to get off three balls.

A wide was followed by another strong-armed six by Sutherland, who then took a quick single and watched captain Nicole Faltum clear the off-side field for the winning runs. Sutherland also took three wickets in the win that kept the Stars' finals hopes alive.

Earlier, Sarah Coyte hit two sixes in a six-ball knock that pushed the Renegades to a respectable total, wicketkeeper Josie Dooley's 54 anchoring their innings. Stars spinner Sasha Moloney took 4 for 15 from her four overs before Coyte put the clamps on the Stars' batters. Sutherland wasn't deterred, though, her innings featuring five sixes and coming with no other team-mate able to strike above 106.