Perth Scorchers 130 for 8 (Sciver-Brunt 36, Voll 4-19, Jonassen 2-25) lost to Brisbane Heat 197 for 5 (G Harris 54, Knott 32*, King 3-30) by 67 runs.
After offspinner Georgia Voll grabbed four wickets as Brisbane Heat advanced to the WBBL final with a dominant performance at the WACA, Grace Harris struck for a half-century to stun Perth Scorchers.
The unstoppable Heat enjoyed a quick surface after taking a plane across the nation to play on consecutive days, setting a record for the highest score in a WBBL final. Then, in front of 22,26 spectators, they bowled and fielded with discipline in an outstanding defense.
Adelaide Oval will host the final on Saturday between the Heat and Adelaide Strikers. They had to go the extra mile after defeating Sydney Thunder by a commanding 44 runs in the WACA elimination final the previous day.
“When we face them, the matchup is usually fantastic. Given that the Heat and Strikers have split their two games thus far this season, Voll predicted that the final will be fantastic. “It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere and hopefully we can knock them over one more time.”
The Scorchers, who had led the standings going into their final three games of the regular season, had a dismal finish. Their poor performance against Heat persisted, as their careless bowling and fielding proved costly.
“Very difficult; I’m at a loss for words. However, the dust will clear and we can rejoice in a wonderful season, said legspinner Alana King of the Scorchers.
With a brilliant powerplay, Harris supported captain Jess Jonassen’s choice to bat first in the sunny conditions. After hitting a second ball boundary off of offspinner Amy Edgar, she continued the momentum after breaking out of her form slump with 45 off 22 balls against Thunder.
In the following over, Harris hammered fast Chloe Ainsworth through the covers with the same lethal velocity.
Georgia Redmayne, the struggling opener, was determined to turn over the strike when Harris scored 33 of the Heat’s 41 runs in the opening four overs. The powerplay’s conclusion did little to stop Harris from continuing her aerial attack, which included a thunderous six-over long-on that crashed into the enormous sightscreen beneath the well-known light towers below ground.
Piepa Cleary, a seamer, delivered a bouncer that soared high over Harris for a no-ball after she dumped her off in irritation, fittingly reaching her half-century with a boundary off her.
All-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt was brought on by the Scorchers, and regardless of the outcome, it was her final game of the season. After an umpire’s call was reviewed, the decision to trap Harris leg before wicket was affirmed, giving her the crucial wicket.
Sciver-Brunt bowled a precise full length without Harris, keeping Heat under pressure in the middle overs. King remained a continuous threat to take wickets.
Similar to their performance against Thunder, Heat looked like they may collapse in the last overs, but in the 17th over, Laura Harris showed her mettle by hitting two straight sixes off seamer Sophie Devine.
With Heat having one foot in the final, Charli Knott, who was 21 years old at the time, took over with 32 off 14 balls.
Devine did not occupy her preferred spot next to Beth Mooney at the top. Nicola Hancock was fast to dismiss Lauren Winfield-Hill, who instead hung onto her opening role and swiftly scored 15 runs.
Devine and Mooney didn’t take long to arrive at the No. 4 crease, giving the Scorchers a short glimmer of optimism. However, they fell quickly one after the other, placing the onus on Sciver-Brunt to make an unlikely comeback.
It was just a matter of time, though, as Heat completed an unforgettable trip to Perth and maintained their hopes of winning a third WBBL title, as she was dismissed by Jonassen for a leg before wicket on 36.
