WBBL 2017/18: Dane van Niekerk bags hat-trick 

Hobart Hurricanes Women vs Sydney Sixers Women at Hobart, December 17

In the 12th match of the Women's Big Bash League 2017-18, South African leg spinner Dane van Niekerk took a hat-trick while representing visitors Sydney Sixers Women at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

HAT-TRICK! Dane van Niekerk you star! @SixersWBBL well in control after this @CommBank Highlight of the Day! #WBBL03 pic.twitter.com/NHcy6frDQD

— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) December 17, 2017

In the first over of her second spell, van Niekerk removed the trio of right-handers Veda Krishnamurthy, Corinne Hall and Stefanie Daffara in consecutive deliveries. All three of her victims were bowled while in her next over, came a fourth wicket when Nicola Hancock – another right-hander – also had her stumps castled by van Niekerk, who finished with figures of 4/20.

Earlier, Sydney Sixers Women compiled 152/8 after the innings got off to a shaky start and ended on a troublesome note as well. Captain and opener Ellyse Perry hit 65 off 49 balls with help from Sara McGlashan, who got 44 off 33. Hayley Matthews picked up 2/29 but her side never got off to a stable start in the run chase. Regular loss of wickets meant that the momentum was always with Sydney and for her hat-trick, the leg -spinner was the Player of the Match.

Sydney Sixers Women 152/8 (Perry 65, McGlashan 44) beat Hobart Hurricanes Women 119/8 (Pyke 35*; van Niekerk 4/20) by 33 runs

Adelaide Strikers Women vs Melbourne Renegades Women at Adelaide, December 17

Decent contributions throughout the batting line-up took the Melbourne Renegades Women to 160 after captain Amy Satterthwaite hit 49, Jess Cameron got 30 and opener Sophie Molineux made 28. That was enough to claim a nine-run win okver the Strikers.

40 runs for the second wicket between Molineux and Cameron and forty-eight for the third between Cameron and Satterthwaite ensured the hundred came up inside the fourteenth over. The captain's 49 included six hits to the fence while Cameron smashed three fours and a six. The late impetus was provided by wicket-keeper Emma Inglis who arrived at number six and hit a quick 18* off 13 with a four and a six each.

In reply, the hosts' captain Suzie Bates opened the innings with aggression but had next to no help from her middle-order colleagues. Bates fell for a rapid 63 off 38 balls and was the fifth to fall after both Tahlia McGrath and Sophie Devine fell after getting good starts. The highest partnership of the innings remained only 29 as Tabatha Saville and the lower-order tried their best to eclipse the target of 161. A close game ended with Tahuhu picking up 2/20 in four overs and only nine runs separating the teams. Satterthwaite, for her aggressive 49, was the Player of the Match.

Melbourne Renegades Women 160/5 (Satterthwaite 49; Devine 2/25) beat Adelaide Strikers Women 151/9 (Bates 63; Tahuhu 2/20) by 9 runs