Melbourne Renegades to host WBBL final as Brisbane Heat lock in second place

Melbourne Renegades will host the WBBL final after the Brisbane Heat secured a second-place finish with a five-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers. FULL WBBL FINALS SCHEDULE

Melbourne Renegades will host the WBBL final after the Brisbane Heat secured a second-place finish and home Challenger final this Friday night with a five-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers to complete the regular season.

The Heat were chasing 141 runs to win and needed to reach the target inside 13.3 overs to leapfrog the Gades into top spot on the ladder.

But three wickets in the opening seven overs made life a bit too anxious for the Heat, who then turned their focus on securing the win in order to claim outright second spot on the table reaching the target with 18 balls to spare.

The Heat’s win means the Sydney Thunder fell to third spot on the table and will host the Knockout final on Wednesday night against the Hobart Hurricanes.

The winner of that final will travel to Brisbane to face the Heat in the Challenger final at Allan Border Field on Friday night.

The Renegades will host the WBBL final at the MCG on Sunday afternoon against the winner of the Heat’s Challenger final.

Earlier Ellyse Perry (33 from 34 balls) and Amelia Kerr (41 from 37) gave the Sixers a hot start in their pursuit of an unlikely finals spot.

But three wickets each to Lucy Hamilton and Jess Jonassen kept the Sixers from posting a truly imposing total at Allan Border Field.

Laura Harris and Jessica Jonassen celebrate Brisbane Heat’s win. Picture: Getty Images

Kerr proved a major obstacle taking two early wickets in the run chase, including the key wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues who had raced to a stunning 39 off just 22 balls including a five boundaries and a six.

That wicket, along with the early departure of star striker Grace Harris for six, meant the Heat were took a more conservative approach for victory rather than unleash an attack at the rapid result required to secure them a ticket straight into the grand final.

In the end it was the composure of skipper Jonassen (39 off 29), who clubbed 20 runs in one over of teen rookie Caoimhe Bray (2/38), to put the Heat on the path to victory.

Originally published as Melbourne Renegades to host WBBL final as Brisbane Heat lock in second place