The 2020 women’s T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). India suffered a crushing defeat against Australia. It was heartbreak for Jemimah Rodrigues and Shikha Pandey. Four years later, they found themselves in a similar situation, playing for Brisbane Heat, at the same venue, in the Women’s Big Bash League 10 (WBBL 10) final. Unfortunately, history repeated itself. Brisbane Heat lost to Melbourne Renegades by seven runs.
Individually, it was another forgettable outing for both players, reminiscent of the 2020 World Cup final. Shikha went wicketless, and Jemimah managed only a single-digit score (1). Hayley Matthews stood out, earning the Player of the Match award for her all-round brilliance.
After winning the toss, the Heat skipper Jess Jonassen chose to bowl first. The decision seemed spot on as they had a fantastic start, taking three wickets in the first six overs. Deandra Dottin was dismissed for a duck after her bat got stuck on the crease line during a quick single attempt. Georgia Wareham (21 off 21) then partnered with Matthews to add a crucial 41 runs for the fourth wicket.
Naomi Stalenberg chipped in with a quick 16 off 12 balls, providing much-needed support to Matthews. However, Matthews played a gritty knock of 69 off 61 balls before being dismissed by Charli Knott in the final over. It was not her most fluent innings, but her effort helped the Renegades post a competitive total of 141/9. Her 69 was also the highest individual score in a WBBL final.
The pitch appeared slow, offering ample assistance to the spinners. Matthews struggled to time the ball consistently, but her determination paid off. Knott was the pick of the Heat bowlers, taking three wickets with her clever variations. Nicola Hancock, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Parsons, and Jonassen also contributed with disciplined bowling. Shikha, however, failed to find her rhythm again, conceding 26 runs in her three overs without a wicket. She finished the season with 12 wickets in 12 games at an economy of 6.90 but went wicketless in three of her last four matches.
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In response, the Heat’s chase started poorly. Grace Harris fell for a duck, and Jemimah followed soon after. Jemimah ended her WBBL season with 267 runs in 10 innings at an impressive average of 33.37 and a strike rate of 139.06.
Rain interrupted the game, reducing the target to 98 runs in 12 overs. Jonassen fought valiantly, remaining unbeaten on 44 off 28 balls, but lacked support from the other end. Matthews impressed with the ball as well, claiming two wickets in her three overs.
The Renegades held their nerve to seal a historic seven-run victory, claiming their first-ever WBBL title. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that had finished last in the previous edition with just four points from 14 games.
For the Heat, it was a second consecutive final defeat, denying them the chance to become the first team to win three WBBL titles. Notably, this marked the fourth straight WBBL final won by the team batting first.
Brief Scores: Melbourne Renegades 141/9 in 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 69, Charli Knott 3/28) beat Brisbane Heat 90/6 in 12 overs (target was 98; Jess Jonassen 44*, Matthews 2/24) by 7 runs.
Highest Run-scorer in WBBL 10 – Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers) – 424 runs in 10 innings, Average 53.00, Strike-Rate 137.21
Highest Wicket taker in WBBL 10 – Alana King (Perth Scorchers) – 20 wickets in 10 innings, Economy 7.06