Saturday saw an astonishing day of semi-finals in the Women’s Big Bash League as the Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers won through to next Saturday’s final, with both matches going through to the final ball.
In the first semi-final at Sydney, the Brisbane Heat snuck through to their first-ever WBBL finals after Nicola Carey was superbly caught on the deep square leg boundary by Haidee Birkett off Jess Jonassen for the Heat to win by four runs.
After the first contest narrowly failed to force the teams into a Super Over, the second semi-final that followed ended incredibly in a tie after a brilliant piece of fielding prevented the winning boundary. A great throw in and then a brilliant gather and throw by the Sixers keeper saw the top-scorer on the day, Sophie Molineux of the Melbourne Renegades, run out while going for the winning run.
SPEECHLESS.
A super over for a spot in the final. Does it get any better? #WBBL04 pic.twitter.com/dAOPwvMThn
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) January 19, 2019
With the scores tied the teams contested a Super Over, during which the Player of the Match, Ellyse Perry, slapped Molly Strano for six off ball four to clinch a stunning victory.
Perry had earlier also starred in her side’s 20-over innings, scoring 54 not out off 59 balls as she shared a 98-run partnership with Proteas Women skipper Dane van Niekerk, who scored a walloping undefeated 51 off just 36 balls, including five fours and a six (S/R 141.66).
Perry also snapped up the key wicket of Emma Inglis, held a catch and had a hand in a run-out, which swayed the Player of the Match award her way. Proteas Women opening bowler Marizanne Kapp took 1-24 in the Renegade innings, with Erin Burns picking up 2-13.
The victory saw the Sydney Sixers through to the final, keeping alive their hopes of a third WBBL title in a row. The Proteas Women will be well represented in that match when Laura Wolvaardt’s Brisbane Heat take on the Sydney Sixers’ Dane-Kapp duo.
We repeat. Have you EVER witnessed a better day of cricket?! ? pic.twitter.com/KUA7xbo8i4
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) January 19, 2019
WOMEN’S BIG BASH LEAGUE
Brisbane Heat Women 140-7 (SJ Johnson 33, L Harris 32 not out; SR Taylor 1-13, S Bates 1-19)
Sydney Thunder Women 136-7 (RH Priest 44, AJ Blackwell 29; JL Barsby 3-23, SJ Johnson 1-12)
Heat Women won by 4 runs
Sydney Sixers Women 131-4 (EA Perry 54 not out, D van Niekerk 51 not out; LMM Tahuhu 1-18, S Molineux 1-31, G Wareham 1-23)
Melbourne Renegades Women 131-6 (S Molineux 55, JE Cameron 41; EA Burns 2-13, EA Perry 1-20, M Kapp 1-24)
Match tied – Sydney Sixers won the one-over Super Over
BIG BASH LEAGUE
Melbourne Renegades 121 (Mohammad Nabi 28, TLW Cooper 24; JM Bird 2-22, MP Stoinis 3-19, LE Plunkett 2-21, A Zampa 2-29)
Melbourne Stars 124-4 (MP Stoinis 70 not out; KW Richardson 2-17, Mohammad Nabi 1-9)
Melbourne Stars won by 6 wickets with 4 balls in hand
BANGLADESH PREMIER LEAGUE
Sylhet Sixers 194-4 (Sabbir Rahman 85, N Pooran 47 not out; Mashrafe Mortaza 2-31, Shafiul Islam 1-43)
Rangpur Riders 195-6 (RR Rossouw 61, AB de Villiers 34, AD Hales 33; Taskin Ahmed 4-42, Alok Kapali 1-34; Mohammad Irfan 1-34)
Rangpur Riders won by four wickets with 3 balls in hand
Chittagong Vikings 214-4 (Yasir Ali 54, Mushfiqur Rahim 52, MD Shanaka 42 not out, Mohammad Shahzad 33; D Wiese 2-26)
Khulna Titans 188-8 (Mahmudullah 50, D Wiese 40, BRM Taylor 28, Taijul Islam 22 not out; Abu Jayed 3-33, Khaled Ahmed 2-29, CS Delport 2-25)
Vikings won by 26 runs
Photo: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
