Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat will lock horns in the final of the Women Big Bash League (WBBL) after conquering respective tightly contested semi-finals at the Drummoyne Oval on Saturday.
In the first heart-stopping semi-final, Heat's Haidee Birkett took a stunning catch at the boundary when Sydney Thunder required five runs off the last ball. In the run-chase of 140, Nicola Carey swung the ball produced by Jess Jonassen to get 6 or at least a boundary to take the game to the Super Over. But Birkett ran to her left, stretched out and plucked the ball out of the air to seal Heat's place in the final.
The second semi-final, however, resulted in a thriller at the last moment. Melbourne Renegades needed 3 runs off the final delivery in their run-chase of 131. As Sophie Molineux, who stood like a rock throughout the game, and Claire Koski attempted to run 3, a run-out by Sydney Sixers' wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy took the match to the Super Over.
Danielle Wyatt came out to share the crease with Molineux, was run-out by Healy. Molineux and Jess Duffin in the middle could not make it through the boundary and gave a target of mere 6. Sixers' skipper Ellyse Perry completed the formalities for her side with her brilliant six over the ropes at wide long-on.
Sydney Sixers, who will play for a third consecutive WBBL title, will host maiden finalists Brisbane Heat on January 26.
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