Grace Harris and Nicola Hancock are ruled out as the Brisbane Heat face an uphill battle in search of their first win in WBBL 11.
Brisbane Heat’s woes in the ongoing 11th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL 11) have deepened with the injury-enforced absence of all-rounder Grace Harris and pace bowler Nicola Hancock. The experienced duo will miss the Heat’s final two matches, leaving the team without key players amid their tough campaign, currently anchored at the bottom of the points table with just one point from eight matches.
Grace Harris, 32, who recently switched franchises to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the upcoming fourth Women’s Premier League (WPL) after being part of UP Warriroz, has been a decent contributor with both bat and ball this season. She has amassed 94 runs at a strike rate of 125.33 and averaged 23.50 in four innings, while adding two wickets at an average of 30 and an economy rate of 7.50 in three bowling appearances. However, during the match against Adelaide Strikers, she suffered a split webbing injury between her thumb and forefinger that required three stitches, ruling her out for the remainder of the season.
Nicola Hancock, 30, has also endured a tough tournament, managing four wickets across five innings and contributing 50 runs at a strike rate of 151.51 and an average of 16.66 in six innings with the bat for her side. Hancock sustained a low-grade hamstring strain in the same game, preventing her participation against the Sydney Thunder on December 3 and the final clash versus the Perth Scorchers.
Brisbane Heat captain Jess Jonassen is also sidelined after undergoing shoulder surgery, and South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk has left to prepare for her national commitments. To bolster the squad, England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn has joined the Heat for the remainder of WBBL 11, bringing valuable experience to an already stretched lineup.
The Heat, historically strong contenders with consecutive final appearances in WBBL 09 and WBBL 10, now face the disappointment of potentially becoming the first team to finish a season winless. Their current record stands at zero wins, seven losses, and a washout. The club will debut young pace bowlers Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, and local replacement Catherine White, 18, who has progressed through Queensland’s youth ranks.
In their next fixture at Drummoyne Oval, the Heat will face Sydney Thunder, led by Phoebe Litchfield, who have also made a strategic change by swapping Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu for England allrounder Em Arlott. Both sides will be eager to break losing streaks and end their campaigns on a positive note.
Brisbane Heat (Squad) Vs Sydney Thunder.
Charli Knott ©, Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucy Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Sarah Glenn, Lucy Hamilton, Chinelle Henry, Annie O’Neil, Georgia Redmayne, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla Wrigley, and Catherine White.
As the Heat grapple with injury setbacks and mounting pressure, the spotlight will be on how they regroup to salvage pride in the closing stages of WBBL 11, while Grace Harris might as well shift her focus to her fresh challenge with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, led by the Indian vice-captain and a World Cup champion, Smriti Mandhana in the WPL starting January 9, 2026.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.