Perry clinic sets up thrilling WBBL finals race

An Ellyse Perry masterclass has catapulted the Sydney Sixers back into the WBBL's top four, with the allrounder leading her side to a crucial win over the Thunder.

Chasing 175 for victory on Sunday, Perry carried her bat to score an unbeaten 77 and take the Sixers to victory with six wickets and five balls to spare.

The result all but ends the Thunder's finals hopes, after a season where they have won just two of their seven completed games.

On a crucial day in the WBBL's finals race, Adelaide also kept their finals hopes alive with a last-over victory over the winless Brisbane Heat.

The victory left them equal on eight points with the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers, with all three teams having two games to play.

The Sixers are one point ahead in third with a game in hand, with the four sides now seemingly battling for the last two spots in the finals.

Seemingly down and out when bowled out for 42 against the second-placed Melbourne Stars 10 days ago, the Sixers have not lost since.

After Heather Knight (65) and Anika Learoyd (43) rescued the Thunder from 4-58 at the end of the 10th over to post 6-174, Perry took charge in front of a crowd of 5024.

She hit Sam Bates for two big sixes down the ground, including one that landed next to the famous Fig Tree at one end of North Sydney Oval.

The veteran also charged quick Shabnim Ismail and hit her over long-on, with Perry rarely looking troubled in her 44-ball 77.

Englishwoman Sophia Dunkley also hit 44 up top for the Sixers, while Alyssa Healy provided a quickfire 33 before perishing late.

The Strikers' six-wicket win over the Heat left Brisbane staring down the barrel of the first winless season in WBBL history.

After the Heat managed 9-149 batting first, Laura Woolvardt (50) and Tammy Beaumont (64) set up the chase.

Beaumont in particular was explosive, belting Nadine de Klerk over the midwicket and long-on ropes and also lifting Charlie Knott over long off.

And while the chase fell away late, Ellie Johnston and Tahlia McGrath took 14 from Knott's final over to seal victory.

Brisbane now look all but certain to collect their first wooden spoon in the competition's 11-season history.

Runners-up in the past two campaigns, the Heat's only point this summer has come from a washed-out game against the Sixers on Friday.

Making matters worse for Brisbane will be the fact they lost Nicola Hancock to a hamstring injury, after she was stumped on the final ball of their innings.

The Heat are already without captain Jess Jonassen (shoulder) and first-round draft pick Jemimah Rodrigues for the rest of the season.

McGrath took 3-27 for the Strikers, while Elanor Larosa and Amanda-Jade Wellington took two wickets each.