Gardner's 124 lifts the Sixers from 6 for 3 to an 87-run win over the Hurricanes

Ashleigh Gardner's 124 from 60 balls rescued Sydney Sixers Women from 6 for 3 and carried them to an 87-run win over Hobart Hurricanes Women at Drummoyne Oval

Hobart Hurricanes Women won the toss and chose to bowl in the seventh match of the Women's Big Bash League season, and within the first few overs they had three Sydney Sixers Women wickets down with six runs on the board.

Gardner answered with 124 from 60 balls, the first century of the season, and the Sixers closed on 196 for 8 from their 20 overs.

The Hurricanes were dismissed for 109 in 17.4 overs, a second defeat in two matches, while the Sixers have now won both of theirs.

Three down for six

Sophia Dunkley, Ellyse Perry and Amelia Kerr were all dismissed with only six runs scored, and the decision to bowl first looked an immediate success for Hobart.

Gardner came to the crease at 6 for 3 and found an ally in Alice Capsey, who batted at No. 5 and stayed with her while the innings was rebuilt.

The Sixers did not stop losing wickets — they were eight down by the end of the innings — but they did recover the scoring rate.

Gardner counterattacks

Gardner reached three figures from 51 balls and finished with 10 fours and nine sixes, striking at better than two runs a ball across her innings.

Her 124 accounted for well over half of the Sixers' total, and it was the highest score she has made in T20 cricket.

It arrived in her 147th appearance in the competition and was only her second hundred in it, the first having come in an earlier season.

Capsey's support at the other end allowed Gardner to take the risks the situation demanded, and the pair rebuilt from a position in which the Sixers had barely troubled the scorers.

Fourth on the WBBL list

Only three higher individual scores have been made in the tournament's history: Lizelle Lee's 150 not out, Grace Harris's 136 not out and Meg Lanning's 135.

No batter had passed three figures in the competition this season before Sunday, and Gardner's nine sixes were the defining feature of an innings that turned a lost position into a winning one.

Earlier in the day at the same ground, Sydney Thunder Women chased 179 against Brisbane Heat Women, reaching 180 for 4 with 20 balls to spare.

Hurricanes fold for 109

Set 197, the Hurricanes needed 9.85 an over from the first ball of their reply, and the asking rate never came down.

They were bowled out for 109 with 14 balls of the innings unused, handing the Sixers a margin of 87 runs.

Hobart lost all ten wickets inside 18 overs, and they remain without a point after two matches.

Their 109 came at 6.16 an over, a rate that would have left them short even over the full 20 overs.

Two from two for the Sixers

Sydney opened their season by beating Brisbane Heat Women off the final ball on 30 October, and Sunday's win makes it two from two.

Hobart's next assignment is Melbourne Renegades Women at Ninja Stadium on 4 November, while the Sixers travel to Junction Oval to meet Melbourne Stars Women on 6 November.

Both of Sunday's fixtures were played at Drummoyne Oval, which stages another double-header on 5 November when Adelaide Strikers Women meet Brisbane Heat Women and Sydney Thunder Women face Perth Scorchers Women.

Scorecard: Sydney Sixers Women 196 for 8 (Gardner 124) beat Hobart Hurricanes Women 109 all out in 17.4 overs by 87 runs at Drummoyne Oval.

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