WBBL Semi Finals: All you need to know

When, where and how to watch

The first standalone Rebel WBBL semi-finals will be played at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval, with the Thunder to battle the Heat from 10.40am AEDT before reigning champions Sixers tackle the Renegades from 1.50pm.

The match will be broadcast live on Channel Seven and Fox Cricket, while there will also be radio coverage on the ABC.

Fans following online will be able to stream the match via Kayo, while scores, radio coverage and video replays will also be available on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live app.

Semi-final 1: Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat

The squads

Sydney Thunder: Alex Blackwell (c), Rachael Haynes, Rachel Priest, Maisy Gibson, Lisa Griffith, Nicola Carey, Sam Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Rene Farrell, Naomi Stalenberg, Rachel Trenaman, Belinda Vakarewa, Saskia Horley

Brisbane Heat: Kirby Short (c), Jemma Barsby, Haidee Birkett, Josie Dooley, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sune Luus, Beth Mooney, Georgia Prestwidge, Laura Wolvaardt.

Head-to-head this season

The Thunder took the points first time around when the sides met at North Sydney Oval on December 9. Harmanpreet Kaur (who is unavailable for finals) led the way with 56 from 26, backed up by opener Rachel Priest as the Thunder piled on 4-192, and a stunning 28-ball 54 from Grace Harris wasn’t enough for the Heat in reply, bowled out for 164 with spinner Maisy Gobson collecting 3-18.

The Heat turned the tables on their rivals in Cairns last weekend, with Beth Mooney’s century helping her team chase down the Thunder’s 7-171 with three balls to spare and three wickets in hand. A half-century to Rachael Haynes and a rapid 43 from Stafanie Taylor led the way for the Heat, but they didn’t have an answer for Mooney, who scored 102 from just 55 deliveries.

The road to finals (most recent last)

Thunder: WWLWW

Heat: WNRWWL

The players to watch

Rachael Haynes (Thunder): The Australian vice-captain has been her team’s top run-scorer this season with three half-centuries to her name. She forms a formidable partnership with Priest at the top of the order and is familiar with the conditions, with Drummoyne her home club ground.

Stafanie Taylor (Thunder): The West Indies captain has picked up 18 wickets at 16.05 with her off-spin and while she’s been batting down the order for much of the season, with just one half-century to her name, her big-hitting talents could be called upon earlier in the absence of India star Harmanpreet, who has departed for international duties.

Beth Mooney (Heat): After a half-century in the Heat’s opening game it took until Saturday for Mooney to go big again, but her ton against the Thunder in Cairns was a positive sign the Australian opener has hit form at the right time.

Grace Harris (Heat): Harris has one century to her name already this season but even when she hasn’t gone big, she has gone hard. She’s made a habit of giving the Heat fast starts in the powerplay, with her runs in WBBL|04 coming at a strike rate of 153.44.

WBBL titles

Thunder 1, Heat 0

Semi-final 2: Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades

The squads

Sydney Sixers: Ellyse Perry (c), Sarah Aley, Erin Burns, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Carly Leeson, Sara McGlashan, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Lauren Smith, Dane Van Niekerk, Tahlia Wilson.

Melbourne Renegades: Amy Satterthwaite (c), Maitlan Brown, Jess Duffin, Emma Inglis, Erica Kershaw, Claire Koski, Anna Lanning, Sophie Molineux, Molly Strano, Lea Tahuhu, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Danni Wyatt.

Head-to-head this season

The first time they met this season at the SCG in late December, a superb performance with the ball from the Sixers restricted the Renegades to 8-110 from their 20 overs, with Lauren Cheatle collecting 2-6 from her three overs. The Sixers then made light work of the chase thanks to Alyssa Healy’s unbeaten 70, reaching their target in 14.1 overs with seven wickets in hand.

The Renegades’ bowlers put in an improved performance second time around in Geelong last weekend, Lea Tahuhu starring with just seven runs scored from her four overs as the Sixers were held to 2-136. But the Renegades batters couldn’t get the job done in the chase, Marizanne Kapp (2-19) causing plenty of problems as the hosts reached 8-107 from their 20 overs.

The road to finals (most recent last)

Sixers: WLWWL

Renegades: WWLWL

The players to watch

Ellyse Perry (Sixers): Perry has been peerless with the bat this tournament and is poised to become the first player to pass the 700-run mark. She’s scored two tons and five half-centuries in 14 innings this tournament. Enough said.

Marizanne Kapp (Sixers): Kapp is finding her peak at the right time and extracted plenty from a flat MCG wicket on Monday as she collected 2-9 from four overs. She’s the Sixers’ leading wicket-taker with 18 at 17.22 and will be targeting Renegades openers Danielle Wyatt and Sophie Molineux.

Lea Tahuhu (Renegades): The Renegades also boast a serious new-ball weapon in Tahuhu. She caused plenty of problems the last time the team met and she’ll hope to contain Perry and Healy again this time around.

Danielle Wyatt (Renegades): The Renegades’ batting has been their biggest concern this season and the England opener has yet to fully fire this tournament. There’s no better time than a final, and the Renegades will need a big score from her if they are to upset the Sixers.

WBBL titles

Sixers 2, Renegades 0