Less than a fortnight after the Sydney Sixers were humiliated by the Melbourne Stars, they have won the return bout to continue their late-season WBBL surge.
Ash Gardner starred with her highest score in the league for more than two years, as well as taking three wickets, and was player of the match in the 16-run win on Wednesday at Drummoyne Oval.
The Sixers improved to equal-second in the standings with the Stars, and have a game in hand.
"They're all must-wins at the moment to get into the finals and then ultimately try to host a final," Gardner told Fox Sports.
"Up until today, we'd had some pretty scrappy wins - they're the ones that build the character in the change room. Today felt more like a complete performance."
On November 20, Stars great Meg Lanning unleashed a batting masterclass against the Sixers, and her 135 remains the top score of the season.
But since that heavy loss - no Sixers player reached double figures as they were blasted out for 42 - Sydney are on a three-game winning streak, with one no-result.
By contrast, the Stars have lost their past two matches to fall three points behind top side Hobart.
Sydney will close out the regular season against the Melbourne Renegades and the Adelaide Strikers, while the Stars will play the Sydney Thunder.
After Sydney won the toss on Wednesday, Gardner paced their innings with a quickfire 50 from 31 balls, featuring seven fours and two sixes. It was the Australian star's highest WBBL score since October 2023.
"It's probably the most time I've spent out in the middle, probably the most fluent I've felt - I've been pretty scratchy throughout the tournament, which has been super frustrating," Gardner said.
Opener Sophia Dunkley contributed 41 as the Sixers reached a healthy 5-164.
The Stars looked shot when Gardner trapped Lanning lbw for just eight, leaving them 4-30.
Enter England's Maia Bouchier, playing her first game of the WBBL season as a replacement for South African Marizanne Kapp.
Bouchier combined with Kim Garth for a fifth-wicket stand of 82 that put Melbourne back in the hunt.
After Gardner dismissed Garth for 17, Dani Gibson immediately hit three fours and suddenly the pressure was on Sydney.
Melbourne were 5-131 in the 18th over when Bouchier rifled a low drive off Mady Villiers and Lauren Cheatle took an outstanding catch at cover.
With Bouchier out for a match-high 67 from 40 balls, and Gibson dismissed in the next over for 17, the Sixers could breathe again.
Melbourne scored 8-148 as Gardner snared 3-31 from four overs.
Brisbane remain winless after second-bottom side the Sydney Thunder beat them by 23 runs in the late game of the double-header.
Phoebe Litchfield top-scored with 61 in the Thunder's 7-153 and Sarah Glenn snared 4-18 from four overs.
Brisbane's Chinelle Henry retired hurt on 10 after being hit on the jaw by a bouncer from Shabnim Ismail.
Annie O'Neil top-scored with 33 as the Heat reached 6-130.
