WBBL11 - The penultimate weekend...

This week has seen the Heat's chances of qualifying for the Top 4 finally extinguished, with another loss followed by a first point as the rain in Adelaide not only wrecked their game with the Stars, but  produced a farcical outcome to the Strikers v Thunder game (see below).

The latest results were:-
Heat 169/5 lost to Strikers 170/4 by 6 wickets off the last ball of the match.
Stars 151/6 beat Hurricanes 114ao by 37 runs
Renegades 150ao lost to Scorchers 151/6 with 8 balls remaining
Heat v Sixers - No Result (Abandoned without a ball being bowled)
Strikers 45/2 (5 overs) - No Result - Thunder 43/0 (game called off after 2.5 overs)

Points on Interest:-

• Heat had the chance of putting a win on the board v Strikers, but a simple drop at mid-off in the penultimate over allowed Strikers to win off the last ball. It summed up their season tbh.
• If Lizelle Lee and DWH don't make any runs then Canes lose. They stay top, but a loss to the rampant Stars means Stars are hard on their heels at the top.
• The Renegades quite simply got "Devined". Chasing 151 to win she smashed 46 out of 57 off the first 34 balls of the reply. It meant Beth Mooney could guide the skittish Scorchers middle order to the win
• Rain in Adelaide ruined both games there - Heat v Stars never even started, and Strikers v Thunder ended up being a 5 over thrash in the rain! Strikers meandered to 45/2 and Thunder were on the verge of winning on 43/0 thanks to Phoebe Litchfield's brutal 38* (15 balls), when the umpires made the extraordinary decision to end the game. It had been raining steadily throughout the Thunder's innings, but certainly was no heavier  when the umpires randomly decided they needed a cup of tea in the dry!
  

This weekend's games

Renegades v Stars - It is 2v3, but the Stars are on a bit of a roll so might jump to the top of the table
Hurricanes v Scorchers - Within 4 hours Canes are likely to be back on top. Scorchers limited batting resources could well let them down
Strikers v Heat - Remarkably Strikers could keep themselves in the Play-Off hunt if they can repeat their last ball win over the dejected Heat. They should do, but it might be a false dawn for the Strikers.

Sixers v Thunder - Sixers haven't played for over a week, while the Thunder will be smarting from the Adelaide rain fiasco. Both desperately need the win. I reckon Thunder might just pip it.

Martin Davies
28/XI/2025