Too much 'Heat' for Strikers in Brisbane

Another Women’s Big Bash League final, with a Beth Mooney half-century could only mean one thing: victory for Brisbane Heat! In the fifth season of the WBBL, Heat successfully defended their crown, emphatically beating first-time finalists Adelaide Strikers by six wickets at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Sunday (December 8).

In front of a sold out crowd, on a flat surface where batters were largely able to swing through the line, the hosts quite easily overhauled a massive target of 162 with 11 balls to spare on the back of Mooney’s unbeaten knock of 56. They thus became only the second team— after Sydney Sixers— to win back-to-back titles.

Clearly the best team in the tournament by a distance, Heat made sure Strikers were never really in the front seat at any point in the game, first restricting their big-hitting top order with the ball, and then unleashing their power with the bat.

In pursuit of what was the highest ever target in a WBBL final, it was Sammy-Jo Johnson— promoted to no.3— who put the defending champions in pole position as early as the fifth over. Although the burly right-hander’s innings lasted only 11 deliveries, she blasted 27 runs in that time, including four massive sixes off Sophie Devine’s second over. Despite her dismissal off the final ball of that over, it was a period of play that almost blew the wind out of Strikers’ sails.

SCENES! Four massive sixes from Sammy-Jo before Devine eventually puts a stop to things! #WBBLFinals pic.twitter.com/BfvwRH0cg1

— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) December 8, 2019

Following that, Jess Jonassen and Mooney took the stuffing out of what was left of the Strikers bowling with a 67-run third-wicket partnership. The pair rotated the strike wonderfully, easily picking the gaps in the field, also managing to find the boundary when the loose ball came along. Through their association, it almost seemed as if Strikers had lost their way. The bowlers had no answer to the left-handed duo— bowling too short or too full, straying on the pads or providing too much width— and dropped catches only compounded their problems.

When Jonassen crunched a slog off Sarah Coyte straight to Bridget Patterson at deep mid-wicket, the visitors were provided with some relief. However, Mooney continued to chug along her merry way, bringing up her ninth half-century of the season.

Despite the failure of Grace Harris (2), sister Laura’s unbeaten cameo (19 off 11 balls) took Heat over the line in the 18th over. Just as she had done last season, the right-hander’s wild slog to the leg-side resulted in the winning runs.

At the start of the day all eyes were on Devine. The question was when, rather than if, she would break Ellyse Perry’s record tally of 777 runs in a single season. The allrounder had accumulated 764 runs across 15 matches and was within touching distance of Perry’s record. However, Georgia Prestwidge, taking the new ball for the first time this season, delivered the sucker punch that could’ve knocked the wind out of Strikers’ sails. The right-arm seamer banged one in short and had Devine caught at the third man boundary for only five.

However, having flown in Devine’s shadow for much of the season, both Suzie Bates and Tahlia McGrath stepped up to the pressure of finals day. The pair put on a terrific 59-run partnership for the second wicket to get the Strikers innings back on track. McGrath in particular was at her aggressive best, targeting anything slightly short of a length.

With Strikers beginning to get ahead in the game, Heat made a comeback on the back of a wonderful little spell from Amelia Kerr. The leg-spinner saw the back of Bates for 27 after Johnson had McGrath caught at mid-off by Hinkley for a 20-ball 33.

The @StrikersWBBL were on the ropes...until Amanda-Jade Wellington rolled in to smack her maiden WBBL fifty and steer them to 161! 👏👏👏 #WBBLFinals pic.twitter.com/IVLuR2h4nH

— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) December 8, 2019

Cue a period where Strikers suddenly seemed to lose their way.

When Katie Mack was stupendously stumped by an ever-alert Mooney and Patterson fell to Prestwidge Strikers has stuttered to 93 for 5 in the 14th over, losing three wickets for 26 runs. They were desperate for a quick-fire partnership to lift them to a decent total.

That was exactly what Amanda-Jade Wellington and Tegan McPharlin provided. Strikers’ sixth-wicket duo put on 56 runs in only 5.2 overs It was Wellington that led the way with an array of sweep— both conventional and reverse— and straight hits on her way to a 33-ball 55. She was particularly good at finding the boundary at cover and mid-off when the Heat bowlers pulled back their length in an attempt to force her to try something different.

Better known for her skills with the ball, Wellington’s maiden WBBL fifty, that consisted of as many as 10 boundaries, took Strikers to a competitive total of 161 for 7 at the end of their 20 overs— the highest total in a WBBL final by a distance. But clearly, it was nowhere near enough…