‘Ours to lose’: Sixers let season opener slip but take positives from epic comeback

The Sixers can’t wait to get Ellyse Perry back from suspension after a couple of batting collapses cost them dearly in the WBBL season opener.

Sixers all-rounder Ash Gardner says there are positives to take out of their narrow loss in the WBBL opener, but concedes the game was “ours to lose” after she and Maitlan Brown combined to send a huge scare through the Melbourne Stars.

Last year’s minor premiers looked headed for a hefty defeat at North Sydney Oval when they slumped to 6-71 in pursuit of the Stars’ total of 165, which was set up by Meg Lanning’s 55 in her first WBBL game in two years.

But Gardner (72 off 44) and fellow all-rounder Brown (35 off 22) flipped the script with an 84-run stand that had them ahead of the required rate, only for the pair to be dismissed in a clutch 19th over from Annabel Sutherland.

The Sixers ultimately fell two runs short, but the fight shown by Gardner and Brown will give them some confidence ahead of Sunday’s Sydney Smash against the Thunder.

Ash Gardner produced a brilliant knock but it wasn’t enough as the Sixers opened the new WBBL season with a loss. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

“We were behind the eight ball for probably 60 per cent of that batting innings but then ‘Maito’ came out with a really good attitude,” Gardner said.

“I took her confidence coming out and tried to ride that. Having an 80-run partnership with her meant it was ours to lose at that point, but unfortunately when I got out and she got out in quick succession, it was going to be hard for two new batters to come in.

“It’s very frustrating to get that close after such a good fightback, but that’s cricket.”

The Sixers only lost two games in the regular season last year before they eventually fell short in the final, and they’ll need a lot more from their top order if they want to replicate what they did 12 months ago.

Gardner and Brown were the only two batters to score 11 or more runs, but their cause will be helped with superstar skipper Ellyse Perry to return on Sunday from a one-game ban for slow over rates.

The Sixers could also have Jess Kerr on deck after the new recruit landed in Sydney on Wednesday night.

The Sixers need a lot more from their top order who failed to fire against the Stars. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

“It’s exciting to know what we can do even when we are under the pump,” Gardner said.

“The batters at the top of the order are willing to score some runs.

“We get our captain back. She’s a massive in, and then potentially Jess Kerr comes into the line-up as well.

“Our bowlers did a really good job to peg them back to 160 on a ground like this which I thought was under par.”

Sixers skipper Ellyse Perry will return for Sunday’s game against the Thunder after she missed the WBBL opener due to suspension. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images for Cricket Australia

Gardner had a huge night in North Sydney, with two wickets to go with her mountain of runs, but she concedes filling in as captain was “challenging at times” and she can’t wait until Perry returns to take over.

“The hardest bit was trying to remember who had overs and how many overs they had and then to throw in the surge and things like that,” the all-rounder said.

“It’s a good part for me because it takes my mind off what I’m doing and means I’m focusing on what others are doing. That element was good, but I do like being vice-captain just that little bit better.

“I’ll be very excited when Pez is back on Sunday.”