Kerr's fifty and Gardner's final over carry the Sixers past the Renegades by 11 runs

Ashleigh Gardner took three wickets in the final over as the Sydney Sixers defended 140 for 6 to beat the Melbourne Renegades by 11 runs at Junction Oval

The Sixers won the toss, chose to bat and were held to 140 for 6, a total that looked a long way short of safe on a ground where a target of 166 had been chased down with seven balls to spare earlier in the day.

It proved enough. The Renegades were still within range when Tess Flintoff was bowled with 18 needed from seven deliveries, and Gardner's closing over brought three wickets while conceding six runs, bowling the home side out for 129 off the last ball of the match.

Melie Kerr was named player of the match for her 53 from 34 balls, her first half-century of the season, and bowling figures of 1-29.

Kerr's fifty sets the tone

Kerr gave the innings its only real momentum, reaching her fifty from 34 deliveries after the Sixers had been asked to build from the front.

It was her first half-century of this campaign, and it arrived at a point where the visitors badly needed one batter to go on.

Ellyse Perry stayed with her for a long stretch but could not find the same fluency, making 30 from 41 balls in an innings that never accelerated.

A total that needed defending

Milly Illingworth was the pick of the Renegades' bowlers, taking two wickets as the Sixers closed on 140 for 6 from their 20 overs.

The benchmark at Junction Oval was unhelpful. In the earlier fixture on the same ground, the Brisbane Heat had chased 166 against the Melbourne Stars with seven balls in hand.

Against that, 140 looked like a total the Sixers would have to bowl their way out of rather than one they could sit on.

Renegades lose three inside five overs

The chase went wrong immediately. The Renegades lost three wickets inside the first five overs and were left rebuilding before the powerplay had finished.

Sophie Molineux and Nicole Faltum steadied matters with a stand of 37 for the fourth wicket, the partnership that kept the target within reach.

It restored the run rate without ever fully repairing the damage, and the Renegades were still chasing the game when the stand ended.

From there the innings depended on a single partnership holding, rather than on wickets in hand.

Flintoff drags the chase back

Flintoff did more than anyone to turn the match. Her 44 from 31 balls was the highest score of the innings and brought the equation back under control.

She was eventually bowled by Sarah Coyte, who finished with 1-19 from three overs, on the last ball of the 19th over.

Her dismissal left the Renegades needing 18 from the final over with the innings' one settled batter gone.

Chloe Tryon and Deandra Dottin were still to bat, and the Renegades needed three runs a ball.

Gardner's final over settles it

Gardner had taken nothing from her first two overs. Her third, the last of the match, decided it.

Chloe Tryon went for a two-ball duck, caught by Kerr, and Deandra Dottin followed for 4 from two deliveries, caught by Lauren Cheatle.

Georgia Wareham was bowled for 17 to end the innings, leaving Gardner with 3-13 from three overs and the Renegades 11 runs adrift.

Six runs came from the over in all, and the Renegades were dismissed with the final delivery of their 20th.

Scorecard: Sydney Sixers Women 140 for 6 (Melie Kerr 53, Ellyse Perry 30) beat Melbourne Renegades Women 129 (Tess Flintoff 44; Ashleigh Gardner 3-13, Sarah Coyte 1-19) by 11 runs.