Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat will go head-to-head in the Final of the 2024 Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), scheduled for the 1st of December 2024, at 7:50 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne.
Both the Renegades and Heat registered 7 wins from 10 league games and with a better Net Run Rate (NRR), the Renegades finished at the top of the table and advanced directly to the Final, while the Heat won the Challenger to secure their place in the Final.
Squads:
Melbourne Renegades Women
Sophie Molineux, Hayley Matthews, Grace Scrivens, Sarah Coyte, Emma de Broughe, Deandra Dottin, Nicole Faltum, Ella Hayward, Milly Illingworth, Sara Kennedy, Georgia Prestwidge, Linsey Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Tara Norris
Brisbane Heat Women
Jess Jonassen, Bonnie Berry, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Charli Knott, Shikha Pandey, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues, Mikayla Wrigley
Players to watch out:
Hayley Matthews
The 26-year-old opening batter, in the WBBL, has amassed 1628 runs from 90 outings at a strike rate of 106.96 and struck 75 wickets from 77 bowling innings at an economy rate of 6.96. Hayley has been in rewarding form again this season, registering scores of 12, 85*, 11, 0, and 60* in recent outings, while her bowling returns read 1/26, 2/28, 2/27, 1/25, and 0/35. She’ll be counted on to deliver the goods.
Sophie Molineux
The 26-year-old all-rounder, from 100 WBBL outings, has taken 93 wickets, including the best of 4/17, while maintaining an economy rate of 6.67, and has also added 1640 runs from 94 innings at a strike rate of 106.01. Sophie has had another successful WBBL campaign this season and, on her return after a brief rehab, has registered scores of 11 and 42*, alongside bowling figures of 2/26 and 4/23. She can be relied upon for an all-round effort.
Jemimah Rodrigues
The 24-year-old middle-order batter, from 27 WBBL outings, has amassed 643 runs at an average of 26.79, a strike rate of 122.47, and the highest score of 75*. Jemimah has been in outstanding form this season, amassing 266 runs at an average of 38.00 and a strike rate of 142.24 from 9 outings, registering scores of 45, 7*, 39, and 43* in recent matches. Given her form, she will be relied upon for another good score.
Shikha Pandey
The 35-year-old pacer, in her debut WBBL season, has picked up 12 wickets from 11 outings, including the best of 2/14, while maintaining an economy rate of 6.76, and can also be handy with the bat on occasion. Shikha has registered bowling figures of 2/25, 2/31, 0/8, 1/33, and 0/30 in her previous five outings, and with extensive international and domestic experience, she can be trusted to spearhead the bowling attack in the Final.
Pitch:
The Melbourne Cricket Ground offers a balanced wicket, catering to both batters and bowlers, as evidenced by the average score in the 150s. While batters enjoy the trueness of the wicket, there is enough for pacers to exploit as well.
Weather:
Scattered thunderstorms on the radar pose a threat to the game, with rain delays and interruptions expected if the skies don’t clear. The temperature will be around 23°C, with moderate winds and a humidity level of 61%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deandra Dottin, Courtney Webb, Hayley Matthews, Sophie Molineux, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Shikha Pandey, Nicola Hancock, Grace Parsons
Match details:
Date – December 1, 2024
Time – 7:50 AM IST
Venue – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Broadcast – The game will be telecasted by the Star Sports Network and live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
Loves all things female cricket
