The Sydney Sixers have extended their lead at the top of the WBBL ladder after beating the Adelaide Strikers by eight runs.
After posting 4-147, the reigning champions defended grandly at Adelaide Oval with some clever bowling in the clutch restricting the Strikers to 8-139.
Solid total: Erin Burns of the Sydney Sixers hits out at Adelaide Oval.Credit:AAP
With 35 required off 27 balls, the home side would have liked their chances but the Sixers didn't panic and took 5-23 inside the next four few overs to strangle the life out of the chase.
The Sixers are ahead of Brisbane on the ladder, after the Heat leapt to second place with their thrashing of the Hobart Hurricanes by 58 runs in Launceston.
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Despite having wickets fall around her early, captain Suzie Bates (60) was holding the Strikers together, at one stage scoring 37 of Adelaide's first 41 runs.
Bates then took a back seat when Tahlia McGrath (45 off 26 balls) joined her at the crease, the young Australian allrounder belting three sixes and dominating the pair's 67-run fourth-wicket stand.
But when the pair departed in quick succession, the Strikers' hopes of winning went south.
Spinner Erin Burns (2-9), player-of-the-match Dane van Niekerk (2-12) and South African seamer Marizanne Kapp (2-21) applied the clamps with the ball.
Earlier, Ash Gardner crunched 49 off 38 balls, including two sixes, and captain Ellyse Perry stroked a more sedate, run-a-ball 47 to set the Sixers up.
The pair put on 93 for the visitors' second wicket after Alyssa Healy was bowled for an aggressive 23 in the fourth over.
Legspinner Amanda Wellington (2-19 off four overs) and Kiwi allrounder Sophie Devine (2-25) impressed with the ball in a gallant losing cause.
In Launceston, the Hurricanes collapsed dismally after being set 139 for victory, skittled for just 80 in 16.3 overs as the Heat resoundingly atoned for Sunday's defeat at UTAS Stadium.
Player of the match: Grace Harris guides the ball away during her knock of 32 against the Hurricanes in Launceston.Credit:AAP
Mikayla Hinkley top-scored for the Hurricanes with 16 but she was also responsible for running out England star Heather Knight to set the tailspin in motion.
Captain Sasha Maloney (13) – who was unluckily dismissed with a high full toss which should have been called a no-ball – and extras (10) were the only other double digit tallies in a shocking run chase.
Jess Jonassen (2-11), Sammy-Jo Johnson (2-14) and Jemma Barsby (2-15) led the way in a clinical display with the ball and in the field from the Heat.
Player-of-the-match Grace Harris was miserly with 1-8 off three overs after stroking 32 at the top for the Heat while teenager Josie Dooley chimed in with an unbeaten 44 off 30 deliveries.
That helped lift Brisbane to 8-138 after the visitors at one stage lost 4-12 in three overs.
Meg Phillips (3-22), Veronica Pyke (2-17) and Heather Knight (2-21) bowled their hearts out for the Hurricanes, but they were badly let down by the batters.
"I thought we were a bit flat yesterday. We bounced back really well today," Harris said.
"We're looking to play aggressive cricket and push that through for the rest of the season."
AAP
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