Alyssa Healy's dazzling final-round innings came too late to prevent a proud record tumbling as both the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder missed the WBBL finals.
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It's the first time in women's domestic cricket league history that a NSW team won't feature in the finals of a competition, dating back 22 years to the start of the Women's National Cricket League in 1996-97, the women's Twenty20 Cup (from 2009-10) and WBBL (from 2015-16).
The goose was already cooked for the Sixers (fifth, 7-7) when the Melbourne Renegades beat the Thunder (sixth, 5-8) to clinch a semi-final berth earlier on Sunday.
Their inability to win without injured skipper Elysse Perry in the last fortnight had cost them dearly as they missed the WBBL finals for the first time.
But Healy signed off in style, smashing her way back to form with a savage 84 off 38 balls to set up a 13-run win over Adelaide which ended up costing the Strikers hosting rights for the finals series as they finished second to Brisbane Heat.
Stand-in skipper Healy's knock was pivotal as the Sixers reversed Saturday's loss to the Strikers and finally ended their five-game skid.
"Unfortunately I couldn't do that five games ago," said Healy.
"But it was nice for us to finish off the season with a really good win in front of some really loyal Sixers fans."
Healy, coming off back-to-back ducks and with just 16 runs in her past five knocks, took out her frustration on the Strikers bowlers, belting seven sixes in her whirlwind dig.
She looked on target for her second ton of the campaign before being bowled by Adelaide skipper Suzie Bates in the 14th over, preventing the Sixers from posting 200-plus.
Teenager Stella Campbell (2-16) then came to the party with the ball, snaring Bates (duck) and Tahlia McGrath (six) early to put the Strikers on the back foot.
Sophie Devine refused to concede defeat, belting four sixes in her 60 off 38 balls - taking her season tally to a league-best 699 runs at 77.67, including eight 50s.
But when the star Kiwi holed out in the 15th over, which was followed by three run outs as the required rate escalated, the task proved beyond the Strikers.
Australian Associated Press
