Sixers remove covers to set up thrilling win

The Sydney Sixers have gone from removing covers in a bid to allow play to resume to pulling off a most unlikely rain-affected four-run Weber WBBL win over the Melbourne Stars.

Staring down the barrel of defeat during a lengthy break in play, the Sixers returned to the field to orchestrate one of the great comebacks on Wednesday.

Behind by one run when lightning struck near Ringwood in Melbourne's outer suburbs, the Sixers looked shot with the Stars 3-44 after 5.4 overs chasing the visitors' 6-134.

But when the rain and lightning abated shortly before the cut-off time of 5.53pm, Sixers players emerged in their magenta uniforms to help groundstaff prepare the field and allow enough time for 1.2 more overs to be bowled.

Even then the Sixers looked behind the eight-ball, with the Stars emerging needing 12 off eight balls to take victory

Maia Bouchier then hit five off the next two balls from Ellyse Perry, to all but get the Stars home.

Enter Chloe Tryon and her left-arm finger spin.

After sending down a dot ball and wide, the South African had Bouchier and Nicole Faltum caught at mid-off on back-to-back balls to put the Sixers on top.

She then bowled a dot ball to Kim Barth, conceded a single and had Annabel Sutherland caught on the boundary off the last ball to finish with 3-2 and claim the four-run win.

The victory is a massive boost to the Sixers' finals hopes, putting them in fifth on the ladder with a 3-5 record.

The Stars, in contrast, will likely need to win at least six of their last seven matches to have any hope of making the semi-finals.

The hosts were earlier in control of the game when left-arm finger spinner Sophie Day claimed career-best figures of 5-25.

The 25-year-old took the key wickets of the Sixers' three most accomplished batters in Perry (22), Ashleigh Gardner (15) and Suzie Bates (27).

She also removed opener Maitlan Brown (19), while stunting the Sixers' momentum late with the wicket of Mathilda Carmichael for nine.

But Lauren Cheatle was able to put the pressure on the Stars early in their chase before the lightning struck, with figures of 2-13.

Linsey Smith also removed Meg Lanning for a five-ball duck, before Alice Capsey's 21 off 14 and Bouchier's 19 put the Stars back in the hunt and set up the thrilling finish.

Weber WBBL|09 Standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	14	11	3	0	0	1.154	0	22
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	14	8	6	0	0	0.784	0	16
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	14	8	6	0	0	0.203	0	16
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	14	7	6	0	1	0.298	0	15
5 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	14	7	7	0	0	-0.253	0	14
6 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	14	6	7	0	1	-0.597	0	13
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	14	6	8	0	0	-0.779	0	12
8 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	14	2	12	0	0	-0.978	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points