The final weekend of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2025 regular season gave fans everything they could ask for. It had tension, emotions, and drama until the very last ball. But the biggest talking point was not the one-run result. It was a bizarre moment that involved Ellyse Perry, the stumps, and two stubborn bails that simply refused to fall. Yes, you read it right.
The match between the Sydney Sixers and the Adelaide Strikers was more than just another league game. It was a virtual knockout. The winner would reach the semi-finals. The loser would go home.
Sydney Sixers batted first and posted a strong total. They finished at 173/4 in 20 overs. The innings revolved around one player. It was all about Ellyse Perry. The superstar produced one of her finest WBBL knocks. She scored a brilliant 111 from just 71 balls. She timed the ball well. She found gaps with ease. She kept the scoreboard moving. The innings looked calm, classy, and full of authority.
In response, the Adelaide Strikers showed great fight. They refused to give up. They matched the chase shot for shot and kept themselves alive till the final delivery. But in the end, they fell short by only one run. They finished at 172/7 and the Sixers celebrated. The Strikers walked away with heartbreak. One run was the difference between a playoff spot and elimination.
Unbelievable Escape: Ellyse Perry Stays Not Out Even After Ball Crashes Into Stumps
While the match itself had many twists, one moment stood out. It came earlier in the Sixers’ innings. Perry was batting on 91. She was closing in on her third WBBL hundred. The pressure was high. The fielders were alert. Adelaide Strikers spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington came in to bowl.
Perry tried to play the delivery. But she got an inside edge. The ball changed direction sharply. It went straight onto the stumps. Everyone froze. For one second, it looked like the end of the innings. The Strikers began to celebrate. Wellington almost raised her arms. The crowd gasped.
But cricket had other ideas. The ball hit the stumps. The stumps shook. The ball rolled away. Yet the bails stayed exactly where they were. They did not even move out of their grooves. Perry survived. She looked surprised. The bowler looked shocked. The fielders could not believe what they had just seen.
This is one of cricket’s rarest quirks. Sometimes the ball strikes the stumps but does not dislodge the bails. It is uncommon, but it happens. And when it does, it becomes a talking point for days.
How that moment changed the match
That single moment changed everything. Had the bails fallen, Perry would have walked back for 91. The Sixers would have finished with a much lower score. The Strikers would have entered the chase with less pressure. The match could have taken a very different turn.
Instead, Perry stayed. She regained her focus. She continued to dominate. She reached her century. She pushed the total past 170. Those extra runs became the difference in the end. The Sixers won by only one run. The reprieve ended up being the match-winning moment.
It is rare to see luck play such a huge role in high-pressure games. But this is cricket. The game always finds ways to surprise everyone.
The incident once again showed how unpredictable the sport can be. Sometimes, even a well-bowled delivery does not get rewarded. Sometimes, the simplest detail like a bail refusing to fall, can decide the fate of a match.
ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh defends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amid questions over 2027 World Cup selection
