If last summer's epic semi-finals day is anything to go by, surprises could abound at Allan Border Field come Saturday
Expect the unexpected in WBBL semi-finals
If the four Rebel WBBL semi-finalists need a reminder that anything can happen in the heat of finals cricket, they need only look back at last year’s example.
During an almost unbelievable day of cricket at Drummoyne Oval last January, a blinder of a catch on the boundary on the final ball was the difference between a spot in the decider and season over for the Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder, before Erin Burns’ diving save on the boundary kept the Sydney Sixers’ season alive on an epic day of semi-finals.
WBBL Finals: Allan Border Field
First semi-final: Strikers v Scorchers, Saturday 10.10am (11.10am AEDT)
Second semi-final: Heat v Renegades, Saturday 1.50pm (2.50pm AEDT)
Final: SF1 v SF2, Sunday 1.40pm (2.40pm AEDT)
Tune in to the WBBL finals on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo, the CA Live app or listen on ABC radio
Two of those teams, the Heat and Renegades, will go head-to-head in the second of two semi-finals at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on Saturday.
The Renegades have not had to look hard for a reminder of that heartbreaking loss this season, with the highlights replayed constantly, but captain Jess Duffin hopes her team is better for the experience.
"It’s been thrown in our face the whole season, actually, but at the end of the day the Sixers aren’t here and we’re playing the Heat," Duffin said.
"(Looking at how) close the teams are close again this season, it probably will come back down to the last ball or last over tomorrow, so we’ve just got to make sure we’re ready."
The Renegades have lost English stars Danni Wyatt and Tammy Beaumont, calling in Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, who scored a one-day century at Allan Border Field in October, in place of Beaumont – WBBL regulations only allow for one replacement international – while Duffin also believes local players can step up.
"I think we can go out there and win," she said.
"We’ve got Chamari Athapaththu, we’ve got a few young kids ready to step up (like) Courtney Webb and Josie Dooley who trains and plays WNCL for Queensland."
"The doubters are going to doubt but at the end of the day we’ve just got to go out and play cricket and I think we’re good enough to win.
The Renegades will also draw confidence from their recent upset win over the Heat at AB Field, when they chased down a record target of 184.
The Heat, meanwhile, have reviewed that loss and pinpointed where they need to turn things around.
"The main thing we took out of it was we need to take our chances. We identified there were five opportunities we didn’t take in that game," Heat allrounder Jess Jonassen said.
"It’s going to be a different looking Renegades team this weekend, losing their English internationals, but by no means are we taking them lightly."
With no Sydney teams in the finals for the first time in the competition’s history, the Brisbane Heat are the only previous WBBL title winner still alive in the race for the trophy.
As the four captains spoke on the eve of the semi-final double-header at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on Friday, one trend was clear: predicting a winner of WBBL|05 is a tricky task indeed.
"It’s very difficult to pick, to be honest," Scorchers captain Meg Lanning said when asked who she saw as the team to beat.
"The Heat and Strikers have been the two most consistent, but the Renegades finished really strongly so I’m looking forward to seeing how the games pan out and hopefully we can get through tomorrow.
"It’s been very even, there are a lot of good teams and some good ones who missed out (on finals)."
After finishing third on the table, Lanning’s Scorchers could be seen as the underdogs of the final four having lost key internationals Nat Sciver and Amy Jones to English duties, leaving Irish quick Kim Garth as their sole overseas player.
But having won four of their last five matches, she believes an upset win over the Strikers is possible.
"We've improved throughout the competition," Lanning said.
"Our back half of the year's been very strong and we've won different ways as well.
"Our bowlers have dominated and our batters as well so we feel pretty comfortable with however the game pans out that we can play really well."
The Strikers claimed a seven-wicket win over the Scorchers when the teams met on neutral territory at Allan Border Field earlier this season, but captain Suzie Bates says she will take nothing for granted.
"In semi-finals, anything can happen and we’re just happy that we’ve qualified and it’s going to be a tough won tomorrow," Bates said.
Adelaide Strikers squad: Darcie Brown, Tegan McPharlin, Alex Price, Annie O’Neil, Sarah Coyte, Katie Mack, Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, Bridget Patterson, Ellie Falconer, Megan Schutt, Tahlia McGrath, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Perth Scorchers squad: Meg Lanning (c), Jemma Barsby, Samantha Betts, Nicole Bolton, Mathilda Carmichael, Amy Edgar, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Kath Hempenstall, Emma King, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Georgia Redmayne
Brisbane Heat squad: Kirby Short (c), Maddy Green, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Mikayla Hinkley, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Jessica Jonassen, Amelia Kerr, Delissa Kimmince, Charli Knott, Beth Mooney, Georgia Prestwidge, Courtney Sippel
Melbourne Renegades squad: Jess Duffin (c), Chamari Athapaththu, Makinley Blows, Maitlan Brown, Josie Dooley, Erica Kershaw, Anna Lanning, Carly Leeson, Courtney Neale, Molly Strano, Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb