Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Scott Heinrich (earlier) and Emma Kemp (later)

Sportwatch: Barty wins, Thunder strikes Sixers, City dominate - as it happened

Brendan Doggett
Thunder’s Brendan Doggett claims the wicket of the Sixers’ James Vince at Spotless Stadium. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Big Bash: Sydney Thunder 2-28 (5.3/16) beat Sydney Sixers 76 (15.5/16)

Game over. The umpires have called it a night at Spotless Stadium due to the rain that has fallen intermittently throughout the evening. The Thunder win by four runs after bowling out the second-placed Sixers for less than 80 runs in 16 overs. And, sitting in sixth spot, they’ll hope it breathes life into their season. They were far superior here, though, and the inclement weather provided more resistance than the Sixers’ top order, which lurched from calamity to catastrophe and will be tough viewing come Monday.

That’s all from me. Join us again tomorrow, when the Hobart Hurricanes kick off the Sunday sport action against the Brisbane Strikers.

Updated

Big Bash 6th over: Sydney Thunder 2-28 (Callum Ferguson 8, Sams 5) v Sydney Sixers 76 (15.5/16) And the covers are back on again.

Updated

Big Bash 4th over: Sydney Thunder 2-21 v Sydney Sixers76 (15.5/16) The Thunder need 77 from 16 overs and, after that innings, their only enemy is probably going to be the weather. Or Silk, whose catch sends Alex Hales walking for a duck and 1-1 (also Jackson Bird’s statistics). Now Usman Khawaja is caught off the outside edge to first slip Hughes. Bowled by Curran. Bizarrely, almost absurdly, the Sixers could still be in this.

Updated

A-League FT: Melbourne City 2-0 Newcastle

The Jets’ winless run is now at seven. It has to be said their second half had more impetus but that will mean little to caretaker Craig Deans. Rock bottom is a lonely place to be. City, conversely, cut back the deficit on leaders Sydney FC to eight points.

Updated

W-League FT: Adelaide United 0-3 Melbourne Victory

Dowie strikes again thanks to a smart team move, her brace sandwiching a second-half Rosie Sutton tap-in, and Victory make it three consecutive wins for a place in the top four.

Updated

A-League 76th minute: Melbourne City 2-0 Newcastle Controversy! The IFAB’s excellently intelligible and unambiguous handball interpretation strikes again soon after the hour mark. Nikolai Topor-Stanley, of Ernie Merrick zimmer frame fame, leaps to contest a header against Harrison Delbridge and the ball pings off the latter’s head into Topor-Stanley’s outstretched arm. Play is soon called back for a VAR review and the pressure is on Kate Jacewicz in her A-League debut to make the call on whether the incident constitutes a penalty. There’s no question the centre-back has made himself unnaturally bigger but how he could possibly have anticipated that contact from such close range is is beyond me. Also, how one is supposed to jump without raising one’s arms presents another conundrum, and a 34-year-old at that. If you have scoured IFAB’s rule book you’ll know this point matters not, for a player can be penalised for an unintentional handball. And thus, Jacewicz’s hands are tied by FIFA and she points to the spot, from which Jamie Maclaren converts for his 13th goal of the season. It’s a long way back for the Jets, and a shame given Topor-Stanley’s gutsy, grunty marshalling from the back.

Updated

Big Bash: Sydney Sixers 6-65 v Sydney Thunder:

The Sixers have not had much to say for themselves but at the very least they’ve clambered over that 57-run mark to avoid breaking the record for the lowest BBL total. A moustached Ben Dwarshuis, who is attempting his strongest impression of Freddie Mercury, swings. It’s not clean, but it’ll do the trick for a boundary to reach 6-58. Then Justin Avendano hits one for six.

The Sixers have, however, set another unenviable record with the lowest score at the fall of the fifth wicket in the competition’s history, following Silk’s dismissal on 15 runs.

Big Bash 6th over: Sydney Sixers 5-16 (Justin Avendano 0, Curran 0) v Sydney Thunder: The covers (down to 16 overs now) are off and the dismembering is back under way as James Vince is caught at mid-on. It’s Justin Avendano’s turn to head to the gallows - sorry, crease - and finally Jordan Silk smacks a boundary - the Sixers’ first of the evening one full hour after the scheduled start time. If you thought that was a positive omen, think again. Minutes later Silk is caught (Khawaja) and bowled (Sams). That’s now three Thunder bowlers who have a wicket off the first ball of their spell tonight in Sandhu, Doggett and Sams. More importantly, though, is the lowest BBL score of 57 under threat? One might assume the Sixers, now onto their allrounders, might go down swinging and shanking.

W-League: Adelaide United 0-1 Melbourne Victory The visitors have the early ascendancy via Natasha Dowie. Adelaide have been responsible for some promising attacking passages but the final ball has been lacking for the hosts. Can’t say the same about Dowie ...

A-League: Melbourne City 1-0 Newcastle We have a GOAL from Craig Noone. Jamie Maclaren sweeps up the field on the counter following a Jets corner and crossed for Noone who, having missed a chance minutes earlier, didn’t need asking twice. That’s a peach from the Englishman, who now has his first back-to-back A-League goals following last week’s effort against Brisbane.

Big Bash: Sydney Sixers 3-6 (James Vince 2, Jordan Silk 0) v Sydney Thunder: What were we saying about Henriques? The Sixers must have thought the cavalry was coming to right their incredibly wobbly ship but Morris has something to say about that with a steep delivery that has the skipper caught behind. That goes down just in time for another rain delay, much to the frustrations of the crown at Spotless Stadium. The umbrellas aren’t exactly up - it’s light drizzle at most, but officials are playing it very safe. It appears we could be reducing the match to 18 overs.

W-League: Adelaide United are under way against Melbourne Victory at Marden Sports Complex, and Natasha Dowie and Laura Brock (nee Alleway) are already having a crack at the Reds’ goal.

A-League: Melbourne City are about to kick off against Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park and will hope they can follow the example set by their W-League counterparts, who dismantled the Jets 2-0 and have now cracked 500 minutes without conceding a goal. Remember Kate Jacewicz is about to make history as the first female to referee an A-League match.

Updated

Big Bash: 2nd over: Sydney Sixers 2-1 v Sydney Thunder

Josh Philippe is gone as well and this is a nightmare start for the Sixers. It’s a plum LBW from Gurinder Sandhu on his first ball. The men in magenta need a big performance from Moises Henriques, who is now in with James Vince. Or will be after the rain delay.

And here’s that fancy footwork from Morris ...

Updated

Big Bash: Melbourne Stars beat Perth Scorchers by 10 runs

Cheerio Scott and evening all.

Well, the Stars are still enjoying the view from the top of the BBL ladder after claiming an eighth win on the hop. They had some help from Nic Maddinson, who took three wickets defending a paltry score of 6-141. The poor Scorchers did their bit too, wilting under the pressure to finish 9-131. Stars captain Glenn Maxwell was the, ahem, star of the show, taking risks in the field and a very nice catch.

As we speak, Sydney Thunder have won the bat flip and elected to bowl. And bloody hell, Daniel Hughes has just been run out for a duck four minutes in after Chris Morris kicked the ball into the stumps.

Updated

And that is all from me. Emma Kemp will take over from here. And there’s plenty on. Over to you, Emma.

Tennis: Barty wins the Adelaide International

The world No 1 has broken her WTA duck on home soil. Barty holds her serve to love as Yastremska hits long. The Australian was pushed in the second set but the title is hers. Onwards and upwards to the Australian Open.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: Ash Barty 6-2, 7-5 Dayana Yastremska

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 6-5 Dayana Yastremska That may well have been Yastremska’s chance. Barty, like the great player she is, senses an opportunity and breaks her opponent’s serve. She’s now serving for the match.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 5-5 Dayana Yastremska Barty avoids the perilous dropped serve at 4-5 to restore parity to the game score. That might’ve been Yastremska’s chance.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 4-5 Dayana Yastremska Barty earns a break point but a sizzling ace down the line takes the game back to deuce. And Yastremska holds her nerve, forcing a backhand error from Barty to take the game. A break here, and the second set is hers.

A-League: GOAL! Brisbane Roar 1-0 Wellington (Wenzel-Halls, 69’) The deadlock is finally broken at Suncorp. Keep this up, and you might say the Roar are officially in form.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 4-4 Dayana Yastremska The Ukranian pushes Barty all the way but can’t capitalise on two break points, hitting long both times, as Barty holds serve.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 3-4 Dayana Yastremska Games go to serve again and, dare I say it, Barty finally has a game on her hands.

Ashleigh Barty
Ashleigh Barty is all concentration during the women’s singles final of the Adelaide International. Photograph: David Mariuz/AAP

Big Bash: 13th over: Perth Scorchers 83-3 (Bancroft 29, Patterson 7) v Melbourne Stars 141-6 Marsh departs to a run-out, and though it isn’t panic stations it’s unlikely the Scorchers will get home here with overs and overs to spare. Bancroft is playing a nice, controlled innings.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 2-3 Dayana Yastremska That is much more like it from Yastremska, who finally breaks Barty’s serve and has now won three games on the bounce. The Ukranian is definitely growing in confidence, moving more fluidly around the court and actually trying to take the game to Barty. A break each, this set is now effectively going to serve.

W-League: GOAL: Melbourne City 2-0 Newcastle (van Egmond, 50’) City finally get their (richly deserved) second goal, van Egmond beating the keeper to the left to double the lead. Stott’s hard work set it all up.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 2-1 Dayana Yastremska Games to to serve after the opening game of the second set, but Barty remains in the box seat after breaking Yastremska. The Ukranian does look to be relaxing a little, hitting a couple of winners, but she has it all to do.

Big Bash: 9th over: Perth Scorchers 62-2 (Bancroft 17, Marsh 11) v Melbourne Stars 141-6 I haven’t really been watching, but I presume Livingstone is on his way. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. This MCG pitch perhaps isn’t quite the paradise it seemed, and the Scorchers are hardly careering towards the victory target, but only two down they are keeping the required run-rate in check.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 2nd set: Ash Barty 6-2, 1-0 Dayana Yastremska Another laboured service game from the Ukranian teen, with Barty claiming the game on her fifth break point. The Australian is playing fluent, controlled tennis. By contrast, Yastremska looks rushed and, at the same time, hesitant. Errors galore. Barty’s in her head.

W-League: HT: Melbourne City 1-0 Newcastle

A-League: HT: Brisbane Roar 0-0 Wellington

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 1st set: Ash Barty 6-2 Dayana Yastremska That was rather easy, now wasn’t it?! Barty strolls through her service game to take the first set against an opponent who is battling away but looking outclassed. The world No 1 is now one set away from her maiden WTA title in Australia.

Dayana Yastremska
Dayana Yastremska tries to stay in the game against Ashleigh Barty in the Adelaide International women’s singles final. Photograph: James Elsby/AP

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 1st set: Ash Barty 5-2 Dayana Yastremska Barty continues to trouble Yastremska’s serve, taking this game to deuce five times before before breaking on the second break point to underline her dominance and superiority. The Australian will now serve for the first set.

Big Bash: 3rd over: Perth Scorchers 17-1 (Livingstone 3, Bancroft 1) v Melbourne Stars 141-6 An early strike for the Stars, with Inglis playing on to Worrall for 12. They’ll take that, knowing their chances of victory likely hinge on their ability to dismiss 10 Scorchers batsmen.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 1st set: Ash Barty 3-2 Dayana Yastremska Barty holds her serve, easily, and has Yastremska in difficuly at 30-40 before a ripping backhand winner from the Ukranian forces deuce. An ace and an error from Barty hands Yastremska the game, but the world No 1 still holds sway with that break in the third game.

Big Bash: 1st over: Perth Scorchers 7-0 (Inglis 4, Livingstone 3) v Melbourne Stars 141-6 A solid, unspectacular start from the Scorchers. Keep being solid and unspectacular, and they’ll win this game.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 1st set: Ash Barty 2-1 Dayana Yastremska An early break for Barty, who works her opponent around the court, applying pressure, which ultimately leads to Yastremska hitting long on the final point of the game. The Ukranian failed to win a point off her own serve.

Adelaide International: Women’s singles final: 1st set: Ash Barty 1-1 Dayana Yastremska A bloodless opening service game to the Ukranian and Barty follows suit as the first set follows serve in the early exchanges.

A-League: 22 mins: Brisbane Roar 0-0 Wellington No goals yet at Suncorp but a few chances and a couple of yellow cards, with Sotirio and Steinmann going into the ref’s book.

W-League: GOAL! Melbourne City 1-0 Newcastle (Mijatovic, 7’) The ladder, the formbook, and sanity in general says this will be a stroll for City. And exactly what they wanted, an early goal, is theirs with Mijatovic latching onto a Simon cross and curling it into the top-right corner.

Updated

Big Bash: 20 overs: Melbourne Stars 141-6 (Cartwright 58, Hinchliffe 1) v Perth Scorchers In truth, the Stars innings never seemed to get going so plaudits to Cartwright for keeping the whole thing from bursting at the seams. Nobody ever knows, of course, how good a total is until the reply is issued, but the impression is that this is shy of the mark. The Scorchers wouldn’t need to bat out of their skins to take the points.

Big Bash: 18th over: Melbourne Stars 121-4 (Cartwright 52, Larkin 16) v Perth Scorchers Cartwright, going at a run a ball, brings up his half-century and the Stars are doing their best to get to what they hope is a par score. But even if they go at 10 an over from here, here’s what Mark Waugh thinks of their probable total:

I’ve got the feeling it’s way unders.

Mark Waugh
Gratuitous old-school Mark Waugh photo. Photograph: Allsport/ALLSPORT

Updated

Tennis: The men’s doubles final at the Adelaide International is now a thing of the past. Gonzalez & Martin were too good for Dodig & Polasek, winning in straight sets to clear the path for the singles deciders. First up is Australia’s Ash Barty, the world No 1, against Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska. Players aren’t on the court yet, but they will be soon.

A-League: The action is coming thick and fast. We’re moments away from the start of the Brisbane Roar v Wellington game at Suncorp. Here’s the teams:

W-League: Just a few minutes away from the start of the Melbourne City v Newcastle game at AAMI Park. Here’s the teams:

Big Bash: 14th over: Melbourne Stars 83-4 (Cartwright 30, Larkin 2) v Perth Scorchers Well, they were going along nicely for the first time this dig, but the Stars are now back in trouble after Maxwell got himself in all sorts, improvising a scoop that doesn’t get off the ground. The result? An easy catch for the keeper. When they work, these shots look wonderful. When they don’t, not so much.

Updated

Big Bash: 12th over: Melbourne Stars 68-3 (Cartwright 30, Maxwell 14) v Perth Scorchers The Stars, finally, start to get a wriggle on, with Maxwell doing as Maxwell does - clearing the long-on rope despite not getting anywhere near all of it - and Cartwright, who’s been there long enough and whose eye is in, grabbing a few boundaries for himself. It was coming, of course, but more of the same will be needed if they’re to post a competitive total.

Big Bash: 8th over: Melbourne Stars 34-3 (Cartwright 12, Maxwell 0) v Perth Scorchers Marsh drops Cartwright off Fawad Ahmed’s first delivery - and looks to have hurt his right hand in the process - before the spinner traps Maddinson in front, right back in the crease, and has his appeal for leg before upheld. Three down for not very many, the Stars look in some strife.

Tennis: For those of you who are waiting for Ash Barty to hit the court in Adelaide, her decider against Dayana Yastremska will take place after the men’s doubles final. The first set in that match has just come to a close, with Gonzalez & Martin claiming a 14-12 tiebreaker against Dodig & Polasek. So we’re a little while away yet.

Meanwhile ...

Big Bash: 5th over: Melbourne Stars 27-2 (Cartwright 9, Maddinson 0) v Perth Scorchers And that good beginning by the Scorchers gets just a little bit better with Coulter-Nile attempting to up the run-rate but succeeding only in picking out Bancroft in the deep. That’s two strikes for Kelly and plenty to think about now for the table toppers.

Big Bash: 4th over: Melbourne Stars 23-1 (Cartwright 7, Coulter-Nile 5) v Perth Scorchers The Stars steady after that early, and untimely, loss of Stoinis, but the Scorchers will be happy with this start after losing the flip on what looks a good deck.

What’s that sound you hear, and hear all match, at the Big Bash? It might be deafening, it might be pervasive, for some it might be annoying, but it’s all about one word: entertainment. And plenty of thought goes into it. Check out this great yarn by Jonathan Howcroft about the importance cricket places on putting on a “damn good show”.

Big Bash: 2nd over: Melbourne Stars 10-1 (Cartwright 1, Coulter-Nile 1) v Perth Scorchers A relatively tame beginning to this match. Well, tame until, in the space of two balls, Stoinis hoicks Kelly over the deep square rope - just clearing the fielder - for six before finishing his brief stay in the middle courtesy of a catch at extra cover. Oddly, the initial call was not out but the man upstairs, with the benefit of time and replays, deemed no bump ball. And the BBL’s leading scorer is on his way for six.

Tennis: The Hobart International final has already been run and won. And, as AAP reports below, a young woman with plenty of upside is the event’s new champion.

Rising star Elena Rybakina has taken out the Hobart International with a 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 win over China’s Zhang Shaui.

Playing in her second WTA final from two tournament this year, the world No 30 and third seed had too much power from the back of the court.

It is the second career title for Rybakina - a 20-year-old from Kazakhstan who surged up the rankings from No 191 to 37 last year.

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina poses with the Hobart International trophy after beating Zhang Shuai in the final on Saturday. Photograph: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Big Bash: Melbourne Stars have won the coin flop - or is it a bat toss? - and will bat first at the ‘G.

Stars: Marcus Stoinis, Hilton Cartwright, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell (c), Seb Gotch (w), Nick Larkin, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchliffe, Daniel Worrall, Lance Morris, Sandeep Lamichhane.

Scorchers: Liam Livingstone, Josh Inglis (w), Cameron Bancroft, Mitch Marsh (c), Kurtis Patterson, Cameron Green, Tim David, Chris Jordan, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Kelly, Fawad Ahmed

Updated

Preamble

What a Saturday we have in store, sports fans. Top of the bill, undoubtedly, is the Adelaide International, and Ashleigh Barty’s quest to claim her first WTA title on home soil. Standing in her way from 4.30pm (AEDT) is big-hitting Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, ranked 24 and more than capable of an upset. In the men’s final this evening, Russian Andrey Rublev meets South African Lloyd Harris. The countdown to the Australian Open is very much on. In the Big Bash League, the top-of-the-table Stars host the dangerous Scorchers - what is it with the letter ‘S’ this season? These two, along with the Sixers and the Strikers, presently occupy the top four spots on the table. Yes, yes, small things, small minds etc etc - before the Sydney derby may or may not take place, given the weather. Rain! Thanks be to the mighty Lord. In the A-League, Brisbane host Wellington before Melbourne City take on Newcastle. In the W-League, City and the Jets also lock horns before Adelaide United will again chase their first win of the season at home to Melbourne Victory. And who knows what else the blessed gods of sport will have in store. I was being rhetorical, hence the absence of a question mark. Moving right along, you know the drill. Drop me an Email or tweet @scott_heinrich if you’d like to get in touch.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Usher, Justin Bieber Feud: Burn Singer Breaks Silence Amid 'Exaggerated' Claims of Heated Confrontation
Usher responds to rumors of a feud with Justin Bieber following an Oscars after-party, emphasizing that the story has been exaggerated.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Is The Beckham Feud Over? Nicola Peltz Shares Private Message From Brooklyn Amid Docuseries Talks
Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham present a united front as a handwritten love note, family tensions and rumours of a Hulu docuseries keep the Beckham feud in the spotlight.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Miley Cyrus Drops Disney Bombshell: 'He Was My Boyfriend' — Secret Romance With Dylan Sprouse Finally Confirmed
Miley Cyrus has confirmed long-standing rumors about her early love life, revealing she secretly dated fellow Disney star Dylan Sprouse during the Hannah Montana era.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Stephen Colbert and son will co-write a 'Lord of the Rings' movie
Stephen Colbert, famous devotee to J
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
I Watched The Beauty Season 1 Finale, And Here's Why I Loved One Twist
It has finally sparked my attention.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Doctors Are Raising Alarms About Synthetic Vitamins in 2026
Many people reach for a multivitamin every morning thinking they perform a massive favor for their body. We often grew up believing that a daily pill served as the ultimate insurance policy against a poor diet. However, a growing number of medical professionals now sound the alarm about the supplements…
Budget and the Bees
Budget and the Bees
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play