Perry stars with 111 as Sixers enter WBBL finals with thrilling win

Ellyse Perry smashed her way to the best score of her WBBL career as Sydney Sixers secured a thrilling one-run win to book their first appearance in a finals series in three years.

Facing Adelaide Strikers in a straight shootout for a spot in the finals, Perry looked to have all but wrapped up Sixers' berth when her side batted first at North Sydney Oval on Sunday and finished on 173 for 4.

Opener Perry crunched 111 off 71 balls, which included three sixes and 16 fours.

But a late surge from Strikers, led by Bridget Patterson, meant the game went down to the wire with the Adelaide side requiring three runs for a win off the final ball. Sophie Ecclestone was run out as she chased a second run that would have sent the match to a Super Over, handing Sixers victory.

Strikers' season is over with defeat as Sixers finished the regular season in second spot to stand one win away from a WBBL final against Hobart Hurricanes at Bellerive Oval on Saturday. Sixers will host the winner of the Knockout final between third-placed Perth Scorchers and fourth-placed Melbourne Stars on Thursday.

Named Player of the Match later, Perry had to survive a couple of scares en route her third WBBL century. She was caught on 65 only for replays to show Strikers bowler Tahlia McGrath had overstepped the mark. And more luck shone on Perry when, on 91, she glanced an Amanda-Jade Wellington delivery on to her stumps only for the bails to remain intact.

Perry eventually fell in the final over of Sixers' innings when she ballooned a Eleanor Larosa delivery to Tabatha Saville at deep cover. Larosa had earlier claimed the wicket of Sophia Dunkley for 54 after she had put on 141 runs for the opening wicket with Perry.

After claiming the wicket of Perry in the final over, Larosa dismissed Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner as Sixers set Strikers their target of 174.

Strikers started slowly and were just 60 for 2 at the ten-over mark, but Patterson changed the script. She bludgeoned her way to a 30-ball 50 to leave Strikers needing 18 off the final over to win.

Patterson whacked Gardner for two fours and a six off the first three balls of the last over before running a single that put Wellington on strike. Gardner bowled Wellington through the gate to leave Ecclestone needing to hit three to win the match off her only delivery.

Ecclestone was run out by Healy as she went in search of the second run that would have extended the match.