The Adelaide Strikers have broken Heat hearts at Karen Rolton Oval again, emerging dominant 59-run victors in their Weber WBBL|09 clash, the first time the two sides have met since an incredible Semi-Final last season.
Amazingly, Bridget Patterson was again Player of the Match on the strength of a masterful batting performance, bludgeoning 70 from 53 deliveries including seven fours and two sixes to set the Strikers up for their third win of the tournament.
Adelaide’s bowling unit was again on form, reviving memories of last week’s record-breaking season-opener as they reduced a strong Brisbane batting line-up to 5-39 within nine overs. Seven bowlers were used and five took wickets in the rout, showcasing the depth the Strikers have brought to the competition despite Darcie Brown being unavailable with a hamstring injury.
Megan Schutt’s trio of wickets saw her join Annabel Sutherland and Jess Jonassen as the tournament’s leading wicket-takers with nine. Leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington also continued her strong start to the summer with another three wickets.
For the Heat, it was the first loss of WBBL|09, seeing them return a ledger of four wins and a loss from their opening five fixtures.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Adelaide lost both openers early to the pace of Nicola Hancock before Patterson and skipper Tahlia McGrath steadied the ship.
McGrath’s run-a-ball 20, although it ended earlier than the allrounder would have liked, set the tone for the Strikers after they fell to 2-24, with the knock highlighted by a monster six straight back down the ground.
Big hitting middle-order batter Maddie Penna joined Patterson following McGrath’s departure with the score 3-44, and they would not be separated until 100 more runs had been added to the total from just 69 deliveries.
Patterson’s 70 sets a new WBBL personal best, with the long-time South Australian star quickly rewarding the faith showed by coaching staff in a promotion to four in the batting order. Not dismissed until the penultimate ball of the innings, Patterson earned the best on ground nod for an innings that set up the game for the home side.
Penna was strong in support, hitting a quartet of boundaries to finish unbeaten on 36 from 29 balls.
International star Megan Schutt got the Strikers turn with the ball off to the perfect start, finding Georgie Redmayne’s edge on just the second delivery of the innings to have the Heat one down without a run on the board.
When Jemma Barsby then rattled in-form Grace Harris’ stumps, the Karen Rolton Oval crowd sensed something special was on the boil. It came just five balls later as Amanda-Jade Wellington manufactured a run-out and caught and bowled on consecutive deliveries before McGrath joined the party with the wicket of Bess Heath to have the result seemingly decided.
Patterson was unable to be kept out of the game, adding a stumping to her night’s work to send Jess Jonassen back to the pavilion. Anesu Mushangwe became the fifth individual wicket taker in the 14th over, luring Mikayla Hinkley into a shot that was caught in the deep by Georgia Adams.
The Strikers now settle in for a few days at home before travelling to Perth for a Grand Final rematch against Sydney Sixers on Friday at the WACA, with first ball scheduled for 4.40pm ACDT.