Johnson, Jonassen guide Brisbane Heat to victory over Sydney Sixers

Brisbane Heat defeated Sydney Sixers by 66 runs to register another win of the tournament at Hurstville Oval, Sydney. After having lost in the previous game against Sixers, Heat bounced back wonderfully. In a horror match for the Sixers, they collapsed to 88 all out.

Heat won the toss and chose to bat first. For their, the key to victory had been Sammy-Jo Johnson's quickfire half-century along with 2/20 and Jess Jonassen's 28-ball 40. Their opener Grace Harris started the innings with a great pace but Beth Mooney went for a duck by giving a mid-on catch to Leeson. Sammy-Jo Johnson joined Harris and opened her account with a long-on boundary. In the next over, Johnson hit Perry for long-on sixes on the consecutive balls.

Before the pair became more dangerous, van Niekerk picked up Harris for 20 runs. Soon captain Kirby Short joined her in the dug-out. Johnson played beautifully through a steady association of 40 with Jonassen. Once they both got settled, it became difficult for the bowlers to get past their bat as they started hitting all around the ground. Johnson’s 30-ball 51 came to an end in the 12th over when she got trapped LBW by Erin Burns.

Jonassen, at the other end, stood strong and tried to anchor the innings, scoring a fast 28-ball 40 before Healy took an easy catch by Perry's delivery. Later, Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus played beautifully and helped the team to score 154 after 20 overs.

Sixers' chase started with the dismissal of their star opener, Alyssa Healy on a golden duck. Ashleigh Gardner joined her captain, Ellyse Perry at the crease but before she could become dangerous, Gardner got out by Johnson's delivery. Things only got worse for the Sixers from there as Burns joined in the league as Grace Harris picked up her wicket in the 3rd over. Sara McGlashan got dismissed in the very next over along with their in-form skipper, Ellyse Perry who fell cheaply for 2 leaving Sixers' in the worst situation. At the halfway mark, Sixers were at 45-5.

Dane van Niekerk tried to steady the ship with Marizanne Kapp, added 23 runs before Delissa Kimmince picked up Kapp in the 12th over. Heat bowlers' economical spell and dot balls created pressure on the Sixers. To reduce that, van Niekerk tried to hit the ball but ended up giving a backward point catch to Jonassen.

Johnson did the major damage to the Sixers' line-up, claiming three wickets with Jemma Barsby and Delissa Kimmince bagging two wickets each and Sixers eventually bundled out within 88 on board.