WBBL|07: ’Bizarre’ brain fade sets up thrilling finish to Perth Scorchers vs. Brisbane Heat

A bizarre brain fade from Nadine de Klerk set up a thrilling finish to the Brisbane Heat’s clash with the Perth Scorchers.

This call cruelled the Canes. Image: Getty/Fox Sports

An incredible brain fade led to the first super over of this season’s WBBL, before Sophie Devine stole a thrilling win for the Perth Scorchers.

With the Brisbane Heat needing 10 runs off the final over, South African Nadine de Klerk strayed out of her crease at the non-striker’s end and found herself run out with one ball remaining.

A truly bizarre sequence of events at Blundstone Arena as Nadine de Klerk ever-so-casually leaves her crease 🤯 #WBBL07https://t.co/mTFvp718ttpic.twitter.com/0LaW61e8BQ

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 17, 2021

Her fellow South African, Anneke Bosch, almost came to the rescue in the super over as she hit Marizanne Kapp - another South African - for 12 runs.

But it wasn’t enough as Devine made light of the pressure, hitting two sixes off Jess Jonassen to power the Scorchers home with two balls of the super over remaining.

“Unfortunately I didn’t execute with the ball, but it’s one of those things that you learn from every time,” Jonassen said.

Beth Mooney carried her superb form into the WBBL as the Scorchers’ opener set up the win.

Mooney was one of Australia’s stars of their multi-format series win against India and, in Perth’s first match of the tournament, showed why she’s the world’s best batter with a crucial knock of 40.

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It was set to be a tough start to the tournament for the Scorchers, who had to delay their flight into Hobart because of the snap three-day lockdown in southern Tasmania.

Despite the Covid scare, all four scheduled WBBL matches went ahead over the weekend at Blundstone Arena in front of empty stands and with the players forced into yet another biosecurity bubble.

But those watching were treated to a dramatic finish, as Brisbane bottled its chase before the match was decided by a super over.

“Just a bit of rust, a bit of cobwebs, for the first game,” Jonassen said.

“By no means panic stations, but it was definitely one that was there to win. Hopefully we can review that game and turn it around.”

Devine was the woman of the hour in the super over. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

It was a welcome return to action for Heat skipper Jonassen, who claimed the wicket of the dangerous Devine (19) with her very first ball of the season.

Jonassen missed Australia’s series against India with a lower leg injury, but the spinning all rounder was immediately back to her best.

She also dismissed Chamari Athapaththu (14) and Matilda Carmichael (5) to end with super figures of 3/16.

Despite the Scorchers’ batting firepower, it was the world’s top-ranked T20 batter Beth Mooney who kept their innings respectable with a well played knock of 40.

“She set the standard from the very beginning,” said former Australia captain Alex Blackwell.

“Even though she’s been out of the game for a while she’ll hit the ground running, which she did.”

But, with the Heat’s Grace Harris on the mic, Mooney was eventually bowled by Indian leg spinner Poonam Yadav.

“Everyone has their run of form - it does come down eventually,” Harris said of Mooney’s ranking.

“Told you she’s not perfect.”

A crucial cameo of 20 not out from Chloe Piparo at the end of the innings saw the Scorchers set Brisbane a modest 138 runs to win.

In reply, Harris and Jonassen traded sixes before the Heat’s chase hit a wobble.

Lilly Mills and the spin of Alana King left Brisbane in strife and, with both sides struggling with the pressure, the match was forced into a super over.

Grace on the mic

The always entertaining Grace Harris provided some fascinating insight into her own bowling when she was mic’d up for an over.

“I just fed that to her,” she said after Chamari Athapaththu hit her for six.

Harris continued to talk herself through every ball, a habit she’s formed, “to make sure all my ideas aren’t kept inside”.

The entertainment value of the WBBL continues to be a treat for cricket fans.

Spin wins

Once again Jess Jonassen and Poonam Yadav showed the value of spin bowling in the shortest format of the game, particularly in the powerplay. They took five crucial wickets between them as Perth’s power-hitting openers struggled to get on top of the spin.

But it was the Scorchers’ own spinner Alana King, who claimed 2/24 at the back end of the innings and went on to change the course of the match.

The Scorchers prevailed in an enthralling encounter. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

Hurricanes’ hearts broken by umpiring decision

The Hobart Hurricanes have had their hearts broken by a gamechanging umpiring decision in Sunday’s loss to the Sydney Sixers.

Winning the bat flip and electing to field, the Sixers blew the Hurricanes off the park in the first innings at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena.

Ellyse Perry has come under fire recently for lukewarm bowling displays at international level, but she wasted no time making her mark on the Sixers’ second match of WBBL|07.

By the time her first two overs were up, she’d sent both openers packing.

Any time the Hurricanes appeared to be finding their feet, the Sixers attack knocked them to the ground. Indian teen sensation Richa Ghosh helped the Canes save face with 46 at a run a ball but too many others did too little along the way to the 125-run total.

The Sixers made it hard for themselves chasing the modest score down.

Molly Strano, the leading wicket-taker in WBBL history, was quiet in her first match in Hurricanes colours, taking 0-26 in Saturday’s loss to the Renegades. She needed only two balls to get her name on the scoreboard in her second. Strano sent Gardner packing on three runs after Alyssa Healy was bowled for the same total.

A questionable umpiring decision prevented the Canes from gaining complete ascendancy during the power play.

Verma proved the difference on Sunday. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

When a Taylor Vlaeminck delivery struck Shafali Verma’s pad right in front of leg stump, it appeared the Indian international would be the third Sixers batter dismissed within four overs.

If not for the WBBL’s strict biosecurity bubbles, Verma might’ve gone out and bought a lottery ticket after the match, because it was clearly her lucky day. Subsequent replays revealed a clear LBW but the teen sensation was allowed to remain at the crease

It was just as well for the Sixers — Verma went on to top score with 57 runs.

Strano finally brought the curtain down on her innings, but by then, the Sixers were all but home.

Hurricanes robbed.
This feels familiar. #WBBL07

— Alex Fair (@AJFair85) October 17, 2021

What do the Canes' have to do to get an LBW call - asking for a friend? ❔❔#TasmaniasTeam#WBBL07

— Hobart Hurricanes (@HurricanesBBL) October 17, 2021

The Sixers’ Indian imports have continued to impress in the field, with Yadav taking a classic catch on Sunday. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

Radical Radha

Sydney Sixers star Radha Yadav took a miraculous one-handed catch to dismiss Mignon du Preez in the third over of the match, ensuring the South African veteran was kept to single digits in both the Hurricanes’ first two hit-outs.

As if Yadav’s take wasn’t already dramatic enough, the decision was almost overturned when it appeared bowler Maitlan Brown may have overstepped.

The 24-year-old quick escaped by the heel of her sneakers — it was ruled there was enough of her shoe behind the line to constitute a legal delivery, so the blinder of a catch was allowed to stand.

Radha Yadav takes a blinder of a catch in one hand! 😮 #WBBL07pic.twitter.com/KBhDLCHG34

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) October 16, 2021

Originally published as WBBL|07: ’Bizarre’ brain fade sets up thrilling finish to Perth Scorchers vs. Brisbane Heat