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So that is that from this contest but the final league fixture between the Sydney Thunder and the Adelaide Strikers has just gotten underway so you can hop over here to catch our coverage of that contest right here on Sportskeeda. Mind you, the Thunder will have extra support from fans of the Brisbane Heat as well and that promises to be an entertaining encounter. Until next time though, this is the duo of Mohul Bhowmick and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us and being a patient audience. See you around soon - goodbye for now!
Match 55 between the Melbourne Stars and the Brisbane Heat has been called off due to bad weather!
A stop-start game that eventually ended in frustration. The Melbourne Stars will feel gutted at the weather having the final say given how they began in quest of 105 after the contest was reduced to 10 overs per side. It was a Danni Wyatt masterclass that saw the Heat post a big score in their alloted quota of overs in a game that they needed to win in order to seal second spot.
The Stars' seamers found it tough to bowl with control and it spilled over into the second innings as well with Jess Kerr and Nicola Hancock losing their radar. The wind played a huge role and Lauren Winfield-Hill came out all guns blazing with Sophie Reid also joining in on the act. 36 runs were racked up across the 2-over powerplay and the Stars seemed to be shutting the door on the Heat's hopes of hosting the Challenger.
It took a screamer of a catch from Jess Kerr, off the bowling of her sister Amelia, to send Reid on her way back. That's exactly when the umpires ushered the players off the field owing to thunder and lightning in the vicinity. And thereafter, we just never got going again. A summary of the day really where every effort was made to get a contest but with seven legal deliveries still needed to constitute a result, the weather Gods had the final say.
What this means though is that the Heat now need the Sydney Thunder to do them a favor and defeat the Adelaide Strikers to ensure that they host the Challenger. A Strikers win will mean that they get to do the honors instead. Either way, the Heat will know that they need to put their best foot forward in the knockouts in order to become the first team to clinch three WBBL titles.
As for the Stars, it was a season that began in torrid fashion but they surely put in the right steps as it went along. They left themselves with too much to do eventually as far as securing a spot in the knockouts was concerned but in Sasha Moloney, Alice Capsey and of course, Annabel Sutherland, they have a lot of positives to take out of this season. More so, with regular skipper Meg Lanning not taking part as she takes time out of the game. The Stars will hope to have her back next season and refine their squad even further to put in a much improved show!
The inevitable has transpired - the match has been called off and the two teams split points. The Stars will feel frustrated given how they were dominating this chase but the Heat won't complain - this has now left the Adelaide Strikers with no choice but to win their last game to usurp them on net run-rate and host the Challenger.
The Sydney Sixers have rounded off the league stage with a resounding win over the Hobart Hurricanes. This means that the Hurricanes cannot finish second and it's either the Heat or the Adelaide Strikers, based on this contest and the last one between the Strikers and the Thunder.
Meanwhile, the Sydney Sixers need 12 runs to win off 11 deliveries to beat the Hobart Hurricanes at the North Sydney Oval. The Heat will hope that they get the job done themselves given that it will ease their hopes of finishing second. Head over here to find out how that ends!
The umpires converge as it begins to get darker. And boo - off go the players! Seven more legal deliveries needed to constitute a result but on come the covers - there's lightning and thunderstorm in the vicinity. Could this be the game then? What an anticlimax if it were to be the case! Let's hope that we see the contest resume at the earliest!
What a scorcher from Jess Kerr! Just the moment of inspiration that the Heat needed and the Kerr sisters have combined to bring Sophie Reid's enterprising innings to a halt!
3.5 Amelia Kerr to Sophie Reid, OUT! Back of a length outside off, Reid tries to pull it but does not connect too well. She gets a top edge that the fielder at square leg, Jess Kerr, Amelia's sister, can run well and take! Sophie Reid c Jess Kerr b Amelia Kerr 19 (11b, 2x4, 0x6)
3.4 Amelia Kerr to Lauren Winfield-Hill, at a length, Lauren pushes it to long on for a run.
3.3 Amelia Kerr to Lauren Winfield-Hill, BIG swing and a MISS! At a length and Lauren pulls.
3.2 Amelia Kerr to Sophie Reid, at a length, Reid pushes it to cover for a run.
3.1 Amelia Kerr to Sophie Reid, tossed up on middle, worked to deep midwicket for a couple.
Amelia Kerr, right-arm leg-break, comes into the attack.
The Stars will want this game to get past the 5-over mark here. That's the bare minimum needed to constitute a result, remember!
3
overs
45/0score
1
1
1
1
4
1
runs
Lauren Winfield
21(11)
Sophie Reid*
16(8)
Jess Jonassen
0/9
2.6 Jess Jonassen to Sophie Reid, at a length, Reid sweeps this past midwicket for a run.
2.5 Jess Jonassen to Sophie Reid, FOUR! Tossed up on leg, Reid sweeps this uppishly and pierces the fielders at deep midwicket and deep square for a boundary!
2.4 Jess Jonassen to Lauren Winfield-Hill, tossed up outside off, Lauren steps down and lofts it just in front of the fielder at long off for a run.
2.3 Jess Jonassen to Sophie Reid, back of a length on middle, Reid works it to midwicket for a run.
2.2 Jess Jonassen to Lauren Winfield-Hill, tossed up at a length, Lauren pulls it to deep midwicket for a run.