Megan Schutt became the first player to take a six-fa in the WBBL, as the Strikers claimed second spot and a home Challenger final at Karen Rolton Oval
WBBL wrap: Schutt's record haul secures home final
Adelaide Strikers will host The Challenger on Thursday night after Megan Schutt claimed the best figures in WBBL history to seal a 26-run win over Sydney Thunder and second spot on the table.
The Strikers needed to defeat the bottom-ranked side to leap above Brisbane Heat and into second spot on the table, spoiling the Thunder’s farewell to captain Rachael Haynes in the process.
Laura Wolvaardt hit her straps with a 56-ball 75 not out that guided the Strikers to 4-144, the major contribution in an innings where Deandra Dottin (23) and Maddie Penna (18no) were the only others to reach double figures.
Tammy Beaumont (37 off 27) gave the Thunder a rapid start in reply, but the Strikers all-star bowling attack – led by Megan Schutt’s 6-19 – made regular inroads to bowl the hosts out for 119.
FULL SCORECARD
Schutt claimed the big wicket of opener Phoebe Litchfield in the second over, then returned to tear the heart out of the Thunder order with three wickets in four balls.
She followed up with two more in the final over, to better the previous record held by Strikers’ teammate Amanda-Jade Wellington, who has twice taken 5-8.
Haynes, who was dismissed for six, was given a guard of honour following the game.
The Strikers went into the game knowing they held their fate in their own hands, with a win to see them draw level with the Heat, who were forced to share points with Melbourne Stars in country Victoria when their game was abandoned, and with an already superior net run rate.
It means Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval will host both The Eliminator between the Heat and Hurricanes on Wednesday, and The Challenger, between the Strikers and the winner of The Eliminator on Thursday.
WBBL|08 Super Sunday
Melbourne Renegades defeated Perth Scorchers by six wickets (DLS)
Sydney Sixers defeated Hobart Hurricanes by eight wickets
Stars v Heat: match abandoned
Adelaide Strikers defeated Sydney Thunder by 26 runs
Lightning strikes out Heat's hopes of a home final
Brisbane Heat were left facing an anxious wait to find out if they would host a WBBL final at Allan Border Field after an electrical storm brought a premature end to their crunch clash against Melbourne Stars in Moe.
Players were forced from the field 3.5 overs into the second innings of an already rain-reduced 10-over-a-side match, with teams forced to split the points.
FULL SCORECARD
It left the Heat on 17 points and waiting on the result of the final regular season game between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder to find out if they would host The Challenger.
The Stars were ahead of the DLS par score when play ended at 1-49, but were seven balls short of the five overs required to constitute a match.
Earlier, Danni Wyatt hammered 52 off 24 balls to help the Heat to a hefty 4-105 from their 10 overs.
With the chance to host a home final on the line, the English opener produced her best knock of WBBL|08, finding the rope seven times and clearing it twice.
Her input was critical in an innings where no other top-order Heat batter fired; Georgia Voll (6), Grace Harris (13), Laura Harris (7) and Ellie Johnston (2) all departed cheaply, before Amelia Kerr (10no) and Jess Jonassen (11no) pushed Brisbane over the 100-run mark late.
Scattered rain in Moe delayed the start of the match by 90 minutes and saw it reduced to 10 overs a side.
Clinical Sixers cruise against Hurricanes
Hobart Hurricanes are out of the running to host a WBBL final following an eight-wicket defeat to the Sixers at North Sydney Oval.
The Hurricanes will return to the finals for the first time since WBBL|02, but their hopes of climbing into second spot and hosting The Challenger were dashed by a clinical Sixers batting display, which reeled in a target of 157 with seven balls to spare.
FULL SCORECARD
Hobart will now meet either the Heat or the Strikers in Wednesday’s Eliminator final.
Alyssa Healy (26 off 18) and Suzie Bates (27 off 27) put on 47 for the first wicket and when they departed, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner picked up where they left off.
Perry finished unbeaten on 56 off 39 balls, and Gardner on 45 from 29, with the minor premiers now to enjoy a week off before hosting the final at North Sydney Oval next Saturday.
Earlier, the Hurricanes were given a major boost minutes before the start of the match when they discovered the Scorchers had been defeated in Moe and were out of the running for the top four, officially ending Hobart’s finals drought.
Lizelle Lee (25 off 20) gave the Hurricanes a rapid start before teenage quick Kate Peterson intervened, removing both the South African, as well as Hobart captain Elyse Villani (4) in the space of an over.
Mignon du Preez’s recent run of form continued with a 29-ball 38, but her contribution was the highest of the Hurricanes’ innings, as she and Heather Graham (30 off 23) were unable to go on with promising starts.
An aggressive cameo from Naomi Stalenberg (24 off 16) helped the Hurricanes to 156 all out in 19.5 overs.
Scorchers' season over after upset defeat
Perth Scorchers’ WBBL title defence is over after a heartbreaking final-over defeat to Melbourne Renegades in a rain-reduced affair in Moe.
Heavy rain overnight and showers during the match left the Scorchers to defend 56 off eight overs to keep their season alive.
FULL SCORECARD
A superb start with the ball from Lilly Mills (3-9) and Alana King (1-11) had the Renegades teetering at 4-15, but Erica Kershaw flipped the chase on its head with an unbeaten 34 off 18 balls, steering the Renegades home with three balls to spare.
It left the Scorchers stranded in fifth spot on the table and meant Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes were cemented in the top four without needing to win their final games later in the day.
The must-win game for the Scorchers was delayed by 35 minutes and reduced to 16 overs a side thanks to a wet outfield at Ted Summerton Reserve.
Once it did get underway it started in disastrous fashion for the Scorchers, with tournament leading run scorer Beth Mooney dismissed for a first-ball duck before Maddy Green was bowled by Shabnim Ismail for eight.
Sophie Devine (24no) and Marizanne Kapp (13no) saw the Scorchers to 2-46 off eight overs when another heavy shower prematurely ended their innings.
The Renegades’ pursuit of their revised target started poorly with overseas openers Chamari Athapaththu (0) and Hayley Matthews (2) both removed by Mills in the first over.
Spin continued to go the trick, with Josie Dooley (3) picked up by Alana King before Mills had a third when Courtney Webb (10) holed out to cover.
But Kershaw smacked two sixes to keep the Renegades in the truncated chase; with eight runs needed off Marizanne Kapp in the final over, she hit two fours to seal the upset victory.
Tickets for Weber WBBL and KFC BBL games are on sale now. Get yours at cricket.com.au/big-bash