Brisbane Heat overcomes Adelaide Strikers in WBBL thriller
Amelia Kerr contributed key roles with bat and ball in Brisbane's WBBL win over Adelaide. Photo: AAP
The race for top spot on the WBBL ladder is set to go down to the wire after Brisbane Heat beat Adelaide Strikers by two runs in a final-ball thriller.
In reply to Heat’s 6-114 off 16 overs in a rain-affected match in Adelaide on Monday, the Strikers were in all sorts of trouble at 8-69 in the 12th over requiring 118 for victory under the DLS method.
Needing 49 runs from 26 balls, Laura Wolvaardt (45 off 38 balls) and Megan Schutt (18 not out off 12 balls) got the Strikers back into the match.
Adelaide needed 10 runs off the final over – to be bowled by spinner Amelia Kerr – with just one wicket in hand.
Tweet from @WBBL
The equation was whittled down to three runs needed off the final ball, with No.11 Darcie Brown facing up.
Brown, who had never scored a run in a WBBL match, charged Kerr and launched the spinner down the ground with a hefty stroke.
But she was caught four metres inside the rope by Grace Harris to spark wild celebrations.
Tweet from @WBBL
The result lifted Brisbane to within one point of the ladder-leading Sydney Sixers, who have played one game less than Heat.
Third-placed Hobart is four points adrift of the Sixers, but it has one game in hand on the Sixers and two games in hand on Heat.
The Strikers remain in fifth spot, with just two matches remaining in their campaign.
Kerr was named player of the match for her 3-26 with the ball and 32 off 28 balls with the bat.
Laura Harris (20 off seven balls) cracked two sixes and two fours to give Heat some handy late runs.
-AAP