Strikers pace aces tear through Heat in Brisbane

27 Oct 2022 Laura Jolly

Match Report

27 Oct 2022 Laura Jolly

Aussie stars Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown combined to rip apart Brisbane's strong batting line-up, as the Strikers extended their winning streak to three

An inspired display with the ball from Darcie Brown and Megan Schutt has led Adelaide Strikers to a 31-run win over Brisbane Heat at Allen Border Field.

Brown (4-16) and Schutt (4-11) were instrumental in bowling the Heat out for 109 in 16.4 overs, sealing their team’s third consecutive victory.

Schutt struck the first blow, finding a leading edge from Grace Harris to dismiss the powerful opener for one.

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Brown followed up with the scalp of Danni Wyatt, with ‘keeper Tegan McPharlin’s insistence on using the Decision Review System when her appeal for caught behind was turned down paying off, with the England star forced to depart for a duck.

Georgia Voll (1) holed out off Schutt to leave the Heat 3-7, and that quickly became 4-7 when Georgia Redmayne (4) was also edged behind.

Amelia Kerr (18) and Charli Knott (29) combined to steady the ship, putting the Heat back into the match with a 52-run stand, but when Strikers skipper Tahlia McGrath tossed the ball back to Brown the teenage speedster again produced the desired result, with Kerr brilliantly caught by a diving Patterson at deep mid-wicket.

Knott doggedly hung in there, finding the boundary three times and clearing it once, but had little support as Laura Harris (1), Pooja Vastrakar (8) and Nicola Hancock (8) all departed cheaply.

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A gallant 23 not out from skipper Jess Jonassen was not enough with just one wicket left in hand, the Heat all out for 109 in 16.4 overs.

Earlier, South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt (46) and Katie Mack (35) led the way as the Strikers scored 8-140.

Their 64-run second-wicket stand anchored Adelaide’s innings and while their momentum stuttered somewhat after Knott took a contender for catch of the tournament at cover to remove the South African, Bridget Patterson (27) and Madeline Penna (18) chipped in to boost the Strikers’ total.

Jonassen finished with 3-17 to rise to the top of the WBBL|08 wickets table, while Hancock (3-26) also impressed.

The Strikers meet reigning champions Perth Scorchers in a replay of last season’s final on Friday afternoon, while the Heat will need to bounce back when they play the Scorchers on Saturday night.

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