Brisbane Heat has proven its authority early on in the new Rebel WBBL season and defeated the Sydney Sixers with 92 runs in the North Sydney Oval.
Half a century of Beth Mooney laid the groundwork before Laura Harris helped the Heat 5-165 with a blazing cameo. An excellent shot with the ball – including three wickets in four balls for teenage leggie Amelia Kerr.
Then it was ensured that the replay of last year’s play-offs benefited the defending champions, as the Sixers were only diced 73 times.
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How important will this knock from Harris end up being? 🔥 #WBBL05 pic.twitter.com/lXq3yB3G4Y
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) October 19, 2019
When he decided to strike first, the heat flew to a plane when Mooney wanted to attack early. The score rose to 0-47 at the end of the power play.
After a beautiful field play by Lauren Smith, Kirby Short ran out on the 17th, and when Grace Harris (3) experienced the same fate, later on, the Sixers managed to slow down Mooney’s attack.
New kiwi import Maddy Green got off to a promising start in their heat career. She reached the limit twice and cleared it once in a 14-ball 21, but the wickets continued to fall as Jess Jonassen (6) and Sammy-Jo Johnson dropped cheaply.
Mooney looked up and passed her half-century, but a brilliant piece of work behind the stumps of Alyssa Healy later left the left-hander dulling a ball. At 6-115 with only four remaining overs, the heat was in grave danger of wasting their strong start.
Then Laura Harris entered the fight. What Harris did next turned the match upside down, though she was not as famous for her great success as her younger sister Grace.
She completed 19 runs of five balls in the 18th, including six in the North Sydney Grandstand, and continued attacking when she finished unbeaten with 36 of 17 and raised the heat to 6-165.
Alyssa Healy announced her intention early on with a limit from the first innings ball, but the strong Keeper-Bat of Sixers managed only 13 out of 11 deliveries before Harris recorded a juggling attempt at Sammy-Jo Johnson’s bowling.
Ashleigh Gardner (10) cleared the ropes, but could not continue and became Johnson’s second victim – this time Grace took over the catch – and when Erin Burns (4) caught a catch from the bowling alley of Kimmince, the Sixers came in third -43 in big trouble.
Protea star Dane van Niekerk was not injured, so Protea Marizanne Kapp was the next attacker of the Sixers. She was able to hit a long ball but was better known for her fierce fast bowling than she was batting.
It was all thanks to Perry when she parted company with two – and when the growing pusher released them on the 27th, the Sixers suffered a 6: 1 collapse that lasted 73 minutes.
When the gates fell, it was the 19-year-old New Zealand leg spinner Kerr who scored three wickets in four balls – including a great mistake in throwing Silver-Holmes – and a hat-trick missed the closest of edges.
It ended 3: 8 from three overs and crowned a great night for the spinners as Jonassen (2: 12) and Harris (2:15) also starred.
