All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and her Sixers teammates will be out to get their season off to a flying start when they take on the Brisbane Heat in a double-header this weekend.
Gardner's NSW Breakers won their 18th WNCL title last weekend when they cruised to a 9-wicket win against the Queensland Fire at Allan Border Field in Brisbane
The NSW team featured five members of the Sixers WBBL squad, including wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy who scored 56 not out and hit the winning runs for the Breakers.
“I’m really excited for the WBBL season, obviously coming off the WNCL season with a win is pretty awesome, so I think going into the WBBL season on a positive note is a really good start,” Gardner said.
The Brisbane Heat side the Sixers will face this Sunday at North Sydney Oval is made up of predominantly Queensland Fire players.
“It’s going to be a really good game, obviously we just played them pretty much last weekend for the NSW team, and I think it’s going to be quite a similar team, obviously we know that they’re going to be tough competition," said Gardner.
“They’ve got a lot of Aussie players in their side, so I think if we get off to a good start I think it’ll just lead the way for the whole competition” Gardner said.
Gardner and her Magenta teammates will be hoping new signing South African Dane Van Niekerk can combine with the star-studded line-up and help the Sixers go one better this season.
“Dane will be a massive help for us this year, obviously being one of the top ICC ranked players in the world I think she’s going to add some good flavour to our team," said Gardner.
“I’m hoping Kappie [Marizanne Kapp] bowls the way she did last season, I think she was a standout bowler for us, and I think [Sarah Aley] just does what she does and just bowls nice tight lines and comes in at the end of an innings and tries to smack them around.”
The Sydney Sixers begin their WBBL|02 campaign at North Sydney Oval on Sunday as part of the weekend-long carnival of cricket, before they complete the double-header at Drummoyne Oval on Monday evening.
Entry is free to both games.