The 8th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (W-BBL) got underway with Brisbane Heat hosting Sydney Sixers at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. The opening game of the tournament had the Heat put on a competitive total that the Sixers in an intriguing reply went on to chase down.
1st innings : Brisbane Heat – 141/8
Brisbane Heat put in to bat first lost Grace Harris early on the score of 1(4) as Ellyse Perry struck and opener Georgia Redmayne was joined by Georgia Voll. With late boundaries, the Heat closed their powerplay on the score of 31/1. With Voll struggling to get going in the middle, Redmayne carried on with odd boundaries to suck pressure off and got the side’s score to 59/1 at halfway mark. Georgia Redmayne’s knock came to an end on the score of 49(39) with 69 on board. Laura Harris departed early on the score of 1(3) and Amelia Kerr then joined in a set Voll. Amelia Kerr was off to a fine start, but the side lost a wicket more in quick time as Voll departed on 32(39) at the end of the 16th over with 105 on board. Charli Knott got going aggressively, but Amelia Kerr on the other end departed on 19(15) and was followed by Jess Jonassen on 8(6). Maitlan Brown in the last over dismissed Mikayla Hinkley on 1(2) and Nicola Hancock on 0(3) and Charli’s 9-ball-21 pushed Heat to finish on 141/8.
Sydney Sixers with the ball had Maitlan Brown top the wickets charts with 3 wickets to her name having finished on figures of 3-0-20-3 and on the list was followed by Ellyse Perry who’d bagged a couple and Lauren Cheatle, Sophie Ecclestone and Angelina Genford with one each to their name respectively.
2nd innings : Sydney Sixers – 143/6 (19.5)
Sydney Sixers in reply had a poor start as Alyssa Healy walked back for a 4-ball-duck and despite Ellyse Perry holding an end with a proactive approach, wickets continued to fall on the other end as Suzie Bates on 4(9) and Ashleigh Gardner on 2(2) walked back. Perry with a hat-trick of boundaries, got the side to close their powerplay on 42/3. Erin Burns matched Perry’s start with aggression and the pair got the team’s total to 76/3 at the halfway stage. Ellyse Perry slowed her start and got to her 50* off 43 balls, while Erin Burns continued at the same pace and got to her 50* off 35 balls. Skipper, Jess Jonassen bowling her final over dismissed both set batters, Erin Burns on 50(37) and Perry on 55(48) in giving her side a chance to grip the game, but wasn’t to be despite a wicket more of Sophie Ecclestone on 10(8). Maitlan Brown off the first ball she faced, smashed a maximum and with a ball to spare, won the game for her side, while Nicole Bolton remained unbeaten on 9(10).
Brisbane Heat with the ball had Jess Kerr register the best figures of 4-0-17-2 and skipper Jess Jonassen too finished with a couple of wickets having registered figures of 4-0-21-2. Georgia Voll and Nicola Hancock finished with a wicket each to their name.
Result : Sydney Sixers won by 4 wickets