Mooney drives Scorchers to final with Sixers win

Beth Mooney's 72 drove Perth Scorchers to an 11-run victory in their eliminator match against Sydney Sixers, securing them a place in the Women's Big Bash League final.

Scorchers will face Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday after Mooney's 66-run opening partnership with Katie Mack (40) set-up a first innings score of 183-8 having been put into bat.

Mack was caught by Lauren Cheatle in the eighth over off the bowling of Ash Gardner and after that Mooney anchored the Scorchers effort.

The Australia international hit 11 fours and one six in a 44-ball innings while wickets fell around her, with Paige Scholfield (14) the third-highest scorer for the Perth side.

Mooney was finally dismissed in the 19th over, the sixth batter to fall when she was trapped lbw by Darcie Brown, before Gardner returned to remove Alana King and Lilly Mills in the final over and secure figures of 3-25.

King was the Scorchers star in the second innings, first breaking an opening stand of 58 between Sophia Dunkley and Ellyse Perry by having the latter caught by Ruby Strange for 29.

Chloe Ainsworth bowled Alyssa Healy for just one before Strange removed Dunkley for 40, as Sixers lost two wickets in the space of five balls to find themselves 74-3 in the 10th over.

Leg-spinner King, on the way to figures of 3-17, then saw the dangerous Gardner caught by Sophie Devine for 26 and had Darcie Brown stumped by Mooney for 14.

Melie Kerr made 42 from 29 to offer Sixers some hope, but the New Zealand international was caught by Maddy Darke off the second ball of Mills' final over as Sixers closed on 172-6 to miss out on a place in the final.