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Strikers vs Heat, Final at Adelaide, WBBL 2023, Dec 02 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
Final (N), Adelaide, December 02, 2023, Women's Big Bash League
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Strikers won by 3 runs

Player Of The Match
3/16
amanda-jade-wellington
Player Of The Series
552 runs • 9 wkts
chamari-athapaththu
New
BH-W
Full commentary
end of over 209 runs • 2 wickets
BH-W: 122/8CRR: 6.10 
Nicola Hancock1 (1b)
Amelia Kerr30 (32b 4x4)
Amanda-Jade Wellington 4-0-16-3
Megan Schutt 4-0-30-2

That concludes our coverage of the WBBL final. Adelaide Strikers remain the benchmark of the competition after claiming back-to-back titles. Thanks for your company. On behalf of the entire team, it's goodnight from Adelaide Oval.

10.30pm Presentation

Adelaide Strikers captain Tahlia McGrath: "I'm going to use my quote from last year because it is the exact same, that was pretty bloody special. We called it last year. We were sitting in the changerooms, we said we're not done, we want to go back-to-back. And we've had that fight, that determination all year. This team is a proper team. There's no individuals, no ego. We know our role. We show up, day in, day out and it's a lot of fun playing with this team. Adelaide fans are the best. You guys show up. We were undefeated at home this year because of you guys. We've got a lot of respect for Brisbane Heat. Every time we play them it's a quality game. I'm sure over many years to come we're going to have these unbelievable battles."

Brisbane Heat captain Jess Jonassen: "Credit to the Adelaide crowd for coming out. It made for a great spectacle. To Tahlia and Adelaide Strikers congratulations on back-to-back titles. It's no easy feat. Obviously the benchmark of the competition all year, finishing top, earning the right to host the final, there's not many better stadiums to do that. To our girls, commiserations. I'm super proud of you all, we've worked very hard just to get to this moment. Keep your heads up, I know it hurts, but we'll be back bigger and better and stronger next year."

Amanda-Jade Wellington is player of the final. Wellington: "What a game. That's the pinnacle of WBBL for me. Shout out to Brisbane Heat. They've been the ones to best all year. That game just shows how good a side they are. Shout out to our girls. And one more shout out to the crowd. This has been just amazing to play in front of."

10.20pm What a performance by Strikers with the ball. Wellington takes 3 for 16 from four overs to win her team the game. Tahlia McGrath's captaincy and her two wickets were also vital. Brown bowled four overs for just 20 while Schutt picked up two wickets as well and Barsby took the key scalp off Grace Harris. Heat will rue that final for a long time. They did not handle the pressure of the chase.

Megan Schutt on Fox: "A bit emotional to be honest. A few tears out there. We set out a bold goal last year to go back-to-back and to achieve it is amazing. We have a really balance team. We turn up every game. Really well balanced. Four finals in five years. We played the game well. Running out there, 125 didn't look good but Tahlia said it was a tricky pitch after batting for the longest. We were confident if we could bowl well we could defend it."

Vinod Rajpal: "2/16 and 1 catch while fielding and 38 runs while batting....McGrath is clear player of the match..... Adelaide defended the title so will McGrath defend Match of the Player award !"

Matthew: "I made a comment earlier about the Heat needing to be careful about their approach to a small chase...I didn't think it'd prove true! What a final. A fantastic advertisement for the tournament. "

Hypocaust: "The 61 dot balls in the final were both the most that Adelaide Strikers bowled and the most that Brisbane Heat faced in any match this season."

Adelaide Strikers do it again! They pull off a miracle defending just 125. They win by 3 runs.

19.6
1
Wellington to Hancock, 1 run

sliced off a top edge to short third! A single! Adelaide Strikers win back-to-back titles! Wellington holds her nerves.

5 off 1. Hancock the hero with the ball trying to be the hero with the bat

19.5
W
Wellington to Hinkley, OUT

holes out to long-off! Two metres short of the win! Tossed up again, she swung hard and sliced it high to long-off, Barsby right on the rope right hangs on well. It only had to carry two more metres!

Mikayla Hinkley c Barsby b Wellington 6 (2b 0x4 1x6 1m) SR: 300
19.4
6
Wellington to Hinkley, SIX runs

launched over long-on! What a shot! Tossed up in the slot, Hinkley swings through the line and it just clears Adams on the long-on rope!

Hinkley in for Bess Heath who was unavailable. She needs 11 off 3

19.3
W
Wellington to Voll, OUT

skied straight up! Penna holds on at midwicket! Flighted leg break outside off, Voll tries to slog sweep, she skies it straight up, Penna sits under it for an age but just holds on as the crowd goes ballistic!

Georgia Voll c Penna b Wellington 3 (5b 0x4 0x6 5m) SR: 60
19.2
1lb
Wellington to Amelia Kerr, 1 leg bye

almost bowled! Leg break wide of off, she stepped outside off to swing leg side it came off her leg and ran just past off for a leg bye!

19.1
1
Wellington to Voll, 1 run

75kph, leg break, she lofts a square drive in the air but short of deep point

Amanda-Jade Wellington will bowl the last

end of over 197 runs • 1 wicket
BH-W: 113/6CRR: 5.94 RRR: 13.00 • Need 13 runs from 6b
Georgia Voll2 (3b)
Amelia Kerr30 (31b 4x4)
Megan Schutt 4-0-30-2
Darcie Brown 4-0-20-0

Only 13 runs off the surge. Heat need 13 off 6 to win the title

18.6
1
Schutt to Voll, 1 run

full on off, she drives powerfully straight to cover and they take a tight single

18.5
1
Schutt to Amelia Kerr, 1 run

skips down and drills a drive straight of mid-off and Wellington knocks it down! That was four if she didn't get to it

18.4
4
Schutt to Amelia Kerr, FOUR runs

thumped over cover! Just short of going for six! Full outside off but in the slot, she strides out and lofts over cover with power

18.3
1
Schutt to Voll, 1 run

slower ball leg cutter, she miscues a drive wide of mid-on

18.2
Schutt to Voll, no run

111kph, full on off, she thumps a drive straight to cover

Georgia Voll at No.8

18.1
W
Schutt to Jonassen, OUT

clean bowled! Off stump knocked back! Very full on off, Jonassen wipes across the line trying to go too square over the leg side, it skids through and crashes into off!

Jess Jonassen b Schutt 5 (5b 1x4 0x6 8m) SR: 100

Schutt to bowl the 19th. Two out only. Deep midwicket and long-on back

end of over 186 runs
BH-W: 106/5CRR: 5.88 RRR: 10.00 • Need 20 runs from 12b
Jess Jonassen5 (4b 1x4)
Amelia Kerr25 (29b 3x4)
Darcie Brown 4-0-20-0
Megan Schutt 3-0-23-1
17.6
1
Brown to Jonassen, 1 run

121kph, full outside leg, it comes off the pad and runs to backward point for a leg bye

17.5
1
Brown to Amelia Kerr, 1 run

good length, angled into off, she defends, running it to short third

17.4
Brown to Amelia Kerr, no run

yorker outside off, 121kph, beats Kerr as she tries to slice it behind point

Deep midwicket up. Fine leg back. Better field

17.3
4
Brown to Amelia Kerr, FOUR runs

lap scoop this time! Brilliant execution. Full on off, she moved late, steps inside the line and flicks it over short fine

17.2
Brown to Amelia Kerr, no run

attempted scoop, can't catch up with it and it lands short of Patterson

Deep backward square and deep midwicket

17.1
Brown to Amelia Kerr, no run

good length, 121kph, top of off, she defends to backward point

Power surge taken. Brown on

end of over 179 runs • 1 wicket
BH-W: 100/5CRR: 5.88 RRR: 8.66 • Need 26 runs from 18b
Jess Jonassen4 (3b 1x4)
Amelia Kerr20 (24b 2x4)
Megan Schutt 3-0-23-1
Anesu Mushangwe 3-0-21-0

Phani: "Sloppiness all over in a final!Rank hitter balls, straight to fielders, drops, misfields, fumbles, missed opportunities,...."

16.6
Schutt to Jonassen, no run

full and wide, she drives to mid-off but can't find the gap

16.5
Schutt to Jonassen, no run

96kph, fuller on middle, she defends on the front foot

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