Hurricanes blow away Scorchers for maiden WBBL title

Lizelle Lee has powered the Hurricanes to their first Weber WBBL title with the hard-hitting opener putting the Perth Scorchers to the sword in front of a boisterous home crowd in Hobart. 

Needing 138 to seal the club's first women's title at Ninja Stadium, Lee hammered an unbeaten 77 from 34 deliveries as the Hurricanes sealed their place in history with five overs to spare and eight wickets in hand. 

Their display of utter dominance put the icing on a near-perfect run for the Hurricanes in WBBL|11, after they finished on top of the table to qualify for the Final for the first time, while also completing a memorable 2025 double for the club following their men's triumph in KFC BBL|14 at the end of last summer.

Lee's innings, which featured 10 fours and four sixes, equalled the highest individual score in a WBBL finals match.

Earlier, Heather Graham (2-26) and English spinner Linsey Smith (2-8) had been crucial in restricting the Scorchers to 5-137 despite a sloppy catching display, with Sophie Devine top-scoring with 34 off 29 balls. 

Striding to the middle, former South African-opener turned Hobart local Lee made a statement of intent in the first over of the Hurricanes' chase, smacking Scorchers quick Chloe Ainsworth for a trio of fours. 

The boundaries continued to blow as the Hobart openers raced to 0-38 from the four-over Powerplay, and it took a switch to off-spinner Amy Edgar, wicketless in her five matches leading into the final, to procure the breakthrough, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge bowled for 16.

Devine turned back to herself and Ainsworth to built pressure through two boundary-less overs, but that changed in an instant when Lee dispatched Alana King for back-to-back sixes into the Ricky Ponting stand.

In full control at 1-81 at drinks, the Hurricanes took the Power Surge. 

Lee brought up her 32-ball half-century with yet another six pulled flat over deep midwicket, this time off Ainsworth, then followed up with a four straight down the ground, then another six as 18 runs came off the 11th over.

At the other end, Sciver-Brunt joined in the fun, with 35 runs coming off the two-over Surge, leaving the Hurricanes needing just 26 from 48 balls. 

Sciver-Brunt's innings ended on 35 when she was caught off the bowling of Lilly Mills but with the Hurricanes just 12 runs away, there was no denying the first-time champions. 

Earlier, Hobart spilled seven catches of varying difficulty after being asked to field, but a strong bowling effort ensured the Scorchers' batters never got away.

In-form Beth Mooney lived a blessed early life in the middle, with Lee missing a sharp chance behind the stumps when the Scorchers opener was on one, before Linsey Smith missed another tough chance in the inner ring a ball later.

Mooney was put down again on 10, this time when Molly Strano couldn't hang into what would have been a brilliant, full-stretch diving grab.

However, the Hurricanes' tight bowling kept Perth to 0-27 from the Powerplay, and while Katie Mack (17 off 21) was also dropped, on 15 by Graham diving forward, it didn't cost the hosts when Mack reserve swept to Linsey Smith at deep point next delivery, ending the 36-run opening stand.

Smith – again of the Linsey variety, rather than Lauren – then struck in her first over, as a struggling Maddy Darke (3 off 6) holed out to Sciver-Brunt at mid-off.

At 2-63 at 10-over mark, the Scorchers needed Mooney – in a purple patch having hit 76 in the Challenger – and Devine to bat deep.

Graham struck an almighty blow just three balls after the break, however; Mooney gave herself some room, exposed the stumps but played all around it as she was bowled for 33 off 26.

Devine was the beneficiary of yet another Hurricanes drop, put down by Rachel Trenaman on 27 in the 16th over, then had another slice of luck next over when Hayley Silver-Holmes looked to have saved a six on the boundary, only for replays to show her heel had brushed the padding. 

There was relief for the hosts when the Scorchers captain was stumped two balls later advancing on Graham. 

Scorchers No.6 Paige Scholfield – dropped on 13 – added a vital 27 off 22, including 13 off the penultimate over, before Carey's brilliant finish saw just three runs scored off the 20th.

WBBL|11 finals schedule

The Knockout: Perth Scorchers beat Melbourne Stars by 28 runs

The Challenger: Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Sixers by 11 runs

The Final: Hobart Hurricanes beat Perth Scorchers by 8 wickets