Ferling fires in vain as Scorchers prevail

It was a day for the bowlers as the Perth Scorchers held off the Brisbane Heat in a final-ball thriller that marked the opening of the WA Festival of Cricket in Perth.

While the result in the Rebel Women's Big Bash League clash didn't go as planned for the Heat, it was a welcome return to form for Holly Ferling, whose devastating spell of 4-8 off just three overs marked a resurgence that’s been a long time in the making for the Southern Stars' golden girl. 

Ferling was also the woman at the crease to prevent rival fast bowler Katherine Brunt picking up a hat-trick, digging out a probing yorker as the fiery English seamer returned her own neat figures of 4-17 off four. Brunt was ably backed up by New Zealand star Suzie Bates and Nicola Shaw, who picked up three and two-wickets respectively to cap off the perfect start for the Scorchers.

While the home side’s star-studded line-up failed to fire with the bat, captain Nicole Bolton’s 19 proving the pick of the offerings, a slow-outfield and tight bowling saw them narrowly defend their total of 9-106 as the Heat succumbed just two runs short of their target. 

With four needed to win off the last ball, a searing throw from Brunt on the cover-point boundary ran out Ferling, the last batter in, to leave the visitors stranded.

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Ferling fired for the Heat // Getty Images

This loss makes it three losses from three for the highly rated Brisbane Heat, after succumbing twice in the same day to the Melbourne Stars last week. 

With 20 runs the margin of defeat in their first match, followed by ten in the second and just two runs today, is this the sign of an ever-improving side? The Heat’s captain, Delissa Kimmince, isn’t convinced.

"To be honest, our batting let us down," said a frustrated Kimmince at the end of play. 

"We’re not arrogant enough, we don’t have the confidence to go out there and play our natural game and that’s what happens – you end up choking every single time.

"I don’t think we’re improving. Every single time we just keep taking the gas and we’re not backing ourselves to do what we do. We were only chasing a low total. The last two games we were chasing 140-odd. You can be happy to lose those by ten, but we’re not happy to lose this one by this margin.

"We weren’t brave enough. We didn’t back ourselves to actually go after the ball. In a game like that I think you have to go with maybe four overs to go and not leave it to the last over to get those runs."

While the batting is a source of much frustration to the Queenslanders, Holly Ferling’s return to form is a welcome relief, and a long time coming. 

The young seamer, who burst onto the international scene at just 17 and whose performance in the 2013 Women’s Cricket World Cup was enough to be named 12^th man in the team of the tournament, has suffered an arduous recovery from a stress fracture to her back.

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Heat star Harris fell early // Getty Images

Still only 19, she was part of the successful Ashes touring party in the winter but never looked a real threat, at times visibly struggling. Today, however, was different. Could this be the day that Holly Ferling made her comeback?

"I’d like to think so," said Ferling. 

"I’m just taking it one game at a time. Now it’s important to back it up with another good performance tomorrow and then again on Sunday. Everyone in this team - we’ve got plenty of bowlers so if it’s not your day as a bowler there’s other girls ready to bowl, so you really need to stand up and show that you’re ready."

It comes as a surprise therefore that Ferling, in such fine fettle, only bowled three of her allotted four overs. 

"I’m not too sure [why I didn’t bowl out]," conceded Ferling. "I’ll have to ask DK [Delissa Kimmince]. I was told I’d bowl in the last two overs but she ended up bowling.

"I’m happy to do my bit for the team. Towards the end DK bowls really well just bowling full and my plans are a little bit different to that – I have different strengths," said Ferling, diplomatically, before adding, "Of course as a bowler, though, you always want to bowl more overs!"

The perfect start therefore for the Scorchers, but a tough run continues for the Heat. The two teams meet again tomorrow, same time, same place. A chance to make amends?

"I think they’ll be tougher tomorrow to be honest," says Kimmince. 

"A few of their big guns didn’t fire today and I think we’re in for another tough contest. I think if we’re going to win we need to have a little bit of arrogance about us." 

Tune in.