The eleventh edition of the Women’s Big Bash League witnessed another composed and clinical outing from Hobart Hurricanes Women, who stormed to their third consecutive win of the season with a 16-run victory (DLS method) over Brisbane Heat Women at Drummoyne Oval, Sydney. The result also deepened Brisbane’s early season struggles, marking their third defeat in a row.
In a rain-shortened 12-over contest, the Hurricanes were asked to bat first and delivered a fluent, controlled performance to post 114/1. Lizelle Lee produced a vintage, match-winning innings, smashing an unbeaten 59 off 45 balls, decorated with 6 fours and 3 sixes. She held the innings together from start to finish, blending clean power-hitting with smart strike rotation.
Her opening partner, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, provided the perfect complement with a blistering 44 off 26 (5 fours, 2 sixes, SR 169.23), as the pair stitched together a commanding 109-run opening stand, helping Hobart close on a strong total.
For the Heat, the bowling lacked bite throughout the innings. Jess Jonassen was the lone wicket-taker, finishing with 1/12 from 3 overs, while the rest of the attack struggled to apply pressure or stem the scoring rate.
Chasing a revised target of 125, the Heat faltered early and never fully recovered. Nat Sciver-Brunt struck with the score on 6, removing Charli Knott to put Brisbane on the back foot immediately. Jemimah Rodrigues (20 off 12) and Jess Jonassen (18 off 13) showed promise in their brief stays, but neither managed to convert starts into anything substantial. Grace Harris (28 off 21) provided intent, and Nadine de Klerk’s late 15 off 6 offered a flicker of hope, but it wasn’t enough.
Hurricanes’ bowlers maintained relentless discipline, sharing the wickets evenly to dismantle Heat’s chase. Nicola Carey (2/10), Heather Graham (2/25), Molly Strano (2/17), Lauren Smith (1/11), and Sciver-Brunt (1/17) combined to halt any momentum. The Heat eventually finished on 108/9 in 12 overs, falling 16 runs short of the DLS target.
Lizelle Lee was rightly named Player of the Match for her match-defining half-century that set the tone for Hobart’s dominance. With three wins from three, the Hurricanes sit comfortably among the early leaders, while the Heat face rising concerns after slumping to three straight losses.
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