It’s hard to imagine how the 2019 WBBL04 final between the Brisbane Heat and the Sydney Sixers to be played at 10.10am at Drummoyne Oval this Saturday is going to top the quality of games we saw in the semi-finals last weekend.
However, one thing that has been consistent about the crop of players in the WBBL is that they continue to impress week after week.
The Heat find themselves in the final after defeating the Sydney Thunder by four runs in the first of Saturday’s games. The game came down to the final ball.
With the Thunder needing six runs to win, Nicola Carey launched the ball into the air. The bowler, Jess Jonassen sunk to her knees, convinced that the ball would clear the boundary for six.
Then, out of nowhere came Haidee Birkett to take an outstanding catch to win the Heat the game and see the Thunder bow out of this year’s competition after finishing third at the end of the regular season.
Laura Harris of the Heat (AAP Image/David Neilson)
If that game wasn’t close enough, the next game between the Sydney Sixers and the Melbourne Renegades went to a super over after scores were locked at the end of the 20 overs, with each team scoring 131 runs.
After the Renegades had the opportunity to bat first in the super over, scoring six runs, Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy came to the crease for the Sixers. It was Ellyse Perry who hit the winning runs during that super over, progressing them to the final and giving them the opportunity to defend their title and go for their third consecutive WBBL title.
The games delighted the crowd at Drummoyne, which was in excess of 3,500. The most positive part about the crowd though was just how many Sydney Sixers fans turned out early to watch the first game and how many Sydney Thunder fans stayed to watch the second game, despite their disappointment in how the first game ended.
Onto this weekend, which is set to be a thrilling finale to the best season of WBBL so far.
It’s an exciting weekend for cricket in Queensland with the Heat making their first ever WBBL final. They also have the opportunity to be the first non-NSW team to win the WBBL…but to do that, they will need to be on point with bat and ball to defeat the Sixers.
A key part of the Heat’s batting line up this summer has been Grace Harris. She has the highest strike rate in the WBBL of 140.41 and her season-high score is 101 not out. Her partnership with Beth Mooney at the top of the order will be key if the Heat are to get off to a good start in the power play.
Grace also showed what an effective bowler she is, bamboozling Stefanie Taylor for the Thunder with the handy off-spin in the semi-final despite not firing with the bat.
But a real unsung hero for the Heat this year has been their veteran, Sammy Jo-Johnson, who at the start of the summer asked her coach what she needed to do to find herself batting higher up the order. Sammy-Jo was given an opportunity, coming in to bat at number three and has certainly impressed.
She has scored 256 runs this summer with a highest score of 51. Not bad for someone who has also taken 19 wickets with season-best figures of 3-12.
For the Sydney Sixers, no doubt there would have been some disappointment about their previous performance, given that after Ellyse Perry’s 54 not out and Dane van Niekerk’s 51 not out, the next highest score was 7 from Sara McGlashan. The Sixers have been prone to batting collapses this summer and the likes of Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner will be looking to score big this weekend.
The danger woman for the Heat though of course, is Ellyse Perry. To date, Ellyse has scored 744 runs and she isn’t finished yet. With that amount of runs, she now holds the record for the most runs scored in a WBBL season and she also became the first ever BBL player to surpass 2000 runs. With an average of 93.00 and a strike rate of 123.17, Ellyse is a key wicket for the Heat. Not only that, but Ellyse has also been handy with the ball for the Sixers, taking ten wickets in total.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
No doubt the Heat will be looking to get Ellyse and Alyssa out cheaply to put themselves in the best possible position to win this game.
The Heat should also avoid, at all costs, hitting the ball in the air to Erin Burns. Time and time again, Erin has proven that she has one of the safest pairs of hands in the WBBL and was also responsible for some excellent fielding on the boundary in the semi-final to push the game into a super over.
I’m predicting that the Sixers will win this game, but am looking forward to a tight contest between two quality teams.
See you all at Drummoyne for the final WBBL game of the summer!
mds1970
Roar Guru
Presumably the 10am start is so it can be on telly before the day-night Test.
Peter Warrington
Guest
i think they are both great grounds. could have been played at SCG, too? to me the issue is timing. Sat 10am? isn't that when the girls that play are out playing?
Peter Warrington
Guest
it's a bit synergistic, but I think Dane was as important as Ellyse. She is the new Benaud for mine. whatever it takes, runs or wickets. and very, very modest and self-deprecating. is the sleeping allrounder of the women's game, her batting still not really taken seriously. lovely story on Perry and Silver-Holmes in the Fairfax today. I have my 10yr-old on high alert...
Peter Warrington
Guest
I feel a bit sorry for the Heat. the Renegades almost opened up the door. but I can't see Gardner and Healy and McGlashan flopping again. and Kapp looked to finally find the right length in the Superover. still, they will give it a real blue-hot go. Harris can smash them and Sammy-Jo-John-Son is the real deal (man she is a big, strong unit!) best day out at cricket in decades last saturday and we are looking forward to it again tomorrow. just wish today's weather was tomorrow's : (
Wayne
Roar Guru
WBBL next season is a Stand Alone comp to the Mens. So if the final can't hold on its own, then how will the entire comp fair?
JoM
Roar Rookie
That happened last year. Sixers were the top team and should have had the home ground but had to play in Perth to coincide with the mens game. There were hardly any people there because they were only interested in the men. This game will get a crowd on Saturday.
mds1970
Roar Guru
I definitely prefer the WBBL to be played as stand-alone games rather than curtain raisers. The crowd who are there are there specifically for that game, rather than a sparse smattering of early arrivers who then have to sit around twiddling their thumbs for 2-3 hours between games. I'm going on Saturday. I would have preferred North Sydney Oval, but Drummoyne is a good backdrop for a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000; a crowd which would be virtually invisible at the SCG. Will certainly be better than last year's WBBL final, where the Sixers played the Scorchers at Adelaide Oval, finishing 3 hours before the men's BBL final and there were maybe a few hundred disinterested neutral fans lightly distributed around the nosebleed seats.
Big Daddy
Guest
The big shame about this match is why is it not being played before men's big bash final. It was last year and also I think North Sydney Oval may be a better venue for public. Or are cricket Australia penny pinching.
Ben
Roar Guru
As a Queenslander, my heart wants the Heat to win. I can't see the Sixers having batting collapses two weeks running though. And I believe these games are made for the Perrys' and Healys' of the WBBL. My fingers will be crossed though.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Thanks Mary. It's shaping up to be a great game. My heart says Sixers. My head says Sixers. But those batting collapses... Is there a better player in world cricket right now than Perry? Unstoppable with the bat, damaging with the ball and always, always so calm. It's great to see her against world class opposition, which the WBBL, with its spread of international talent, always allows. So many subplots. Perry vs Mooney. Jonasson vs Healy. Can't wait!