The Side That Stopped Perth Meets the Side Nobody Has Stopped: Strikers v Sixers at Karen Rolton Oval

A record of five wins from five can hide how the wins came. The Sixers' first game, against the Heat in Brisbane, was won off the last ball, chasing 155. They beat the Stars by one run in Melbourne, the Thunder by nine on DLS, and the Renegades by 11 after making only 140 for 6. Only the 87-run win over the Hurricanes was easy. That is not a side that has been flattening people. It is a side that keeps winning the last few overs, which may be a more useful habit.

Much of that is Ash Gardner. The captain had 246 runs from 133 balls in those five games, including 124, and 11 wickets in 16 overs, with two three-wicket hauls (3 for 23 and 3 for 13). Ellyse Perry had 234 runs, with a top score of 84, and was Player of the Match twice. Amelia Kerr made 53 off 34 against the Renegades when the rest of the order struggled, and has five wickets. Caoimhe Bray, with eight wickets including 4 for 28, has been the surprise of the attack.

The Sixers also played the Renegades on Sunday at North Sydney Oval, after this preview was written, so their record coming into Tuesday may not be five from five any more. The shape of the side should not change much either way.

The Strikers' season has gone win, loss, loss, win, win. They beat the Stars by 21 at this ground, making 185 for 2. Then they lost chases against the Heat (by 14) and the Renegades (by 36), and scraped home against the Hurricanes in Hobart off the last ball. On Saturday they put it all together: 202 for 4 at the WACA, and the Scorchers, who had won all five before that, were held to 151 for 9.

Laura Wolvaardt made 83 off 45 that day and has 257 runs from 174 balls in five innings, the most of any player in this match. Madeline Penna has 174 runs at a strike rate well above 160, including 44 off 19 in Perth. They also have Emma de Broughe, who made 51 against the Scorchers, and Maddy Bouchier at the top. The batting is not the question.

The bowling has been, at times. Anesu Mushangwe, the Zimbabwe leg-spinner, took 5 for 11 in Perth, including Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine in her first over, and has six wickets in only nine overs. Amanda-Jade Wellington has five. Sophie Ecclestone did not play in Perth; whether she returns may be one of the more important pieces of team news before the toss, because left-arm spin against Gardner and Perry is a match-up the Strikers would like to have.

Karen Rolton Oval is a small ground with a quick outfield, and the Strikers' one game here this season produced 185 for 2 and 164 for 7. An evening start means the second innings may be played under lights with a bit of dew, which could tempt the captain who wins the toss to chase.

Possible Adelaide Strikers XI, and it is only a guess: Emma de Broughe, Maddy Bouchier, Laura Wolvaardt, Tahlia McGrath (capt), Madeline Penna, Ella Johnston (wk), Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ella Larosa, Ella Wilson, Megan Schutt, Anesu Mushangwe. Sophie Ecclestone could come back in, possibly for a seamer.

Possible Sydney Sixers XI: Ellyse Perry, Sophia Dunkley, Ash Gardner (capt), Amelia Kerr, Alice Capsey (wk), Erin Burns, Emma Ragg, Lauren Cheatle, Sammy-Jo Coyte, Caoimhe Bray, Fran Nicklin. Much may depend on how Sunday's game goes.