Kerr penalty helps Sixers win thriller to stay in finals hunt

Five penalty runs have proved crucial as the Sydney Sixers kept their flickering Weber WBBL finals hopes alive with a six-wicket win over Brisbane Heat.

Maitlan Brown (21no off 15) and Mathilda Carmichael (28no off 20) got the Sixers home with one delivery remaining in a brilliant run chase at Allan Border Field that had an unusual twist.

Heat spinner Amelia Kerr fielded a throw with a towel in her hand, an illegal act which incurred a five-run penalty that ultimately proved costly.

Brisbane Heat's bowlers had regularly been using a towel to dry the ball with plenty of dew on the Allan Border Field outfield into the evening, and it was especially important for leg-spinner Kerr, who was also using the towel to dry her hands to allow her more chance of gripping the white Kookaburra.

But in the 10th over of the Sixers' run chase, Kerr's second of the innings, she was too hasty in whipping out the towel to dry her hands, and still had towel it in hand when fielding a throw from the boundary.

There was no attempt at a run out, and the batters had comfortably completed the single when Kerr, with towel in her left hand, dropped the return well away from the stumps. She picked it up at the feet of umpire Joshua Adie, who took the ball off her and signalled the penalty runs to the scorers. 

It took the Sixers score from 2-75 after the single to 2-80. Two boundaries to batter Erin Burns to close out the over saw the Sixers add 18 runs, including the penalty.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Adelaide Strikers had taken the outright lead on the WBBL ladder after a rescue mission by opener Laura Wolvaardt set up a thrilling three-run win over Sydney Thunder.

The clash in Brisbane had ramifications for the finals with Sixers moving to fifth on 12 points, two behind Brisbane who are in fourth and not yet across the line for a finals berth.

The Sixers still have significant ground to make up on the Heat in their net run rate with each side to play Sydney Thunder in their final match.

Kerr (64 off 44) and Mignon du Preez (42 off 27) had combined for their third half-century stand of the season to take the Heat to 7-176, with an unbeaten Charlie Knott cameo of 29 from 10 deliveries the icing on the cake.

The Sixers were given a fast start by Ellyse Perry (20) after the star allrounder had taken three wickets with the ball.

Erin Burns (35) walloped three sixes in her best knock of the summer and Ash Gardner (36) chipped in before Brown and Carmichael provided the late fireworks.

Weber WBBL|09 Standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	14	11	3	0	0	1.154	0	22
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	14	8	6	0	0	0.784	0	16
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	14	8	6	0	0	0.203	0	16
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	14	7	6	0	1	0.298	0	15
5 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	14	7	7	0	0	-0.253	0	14
6 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	14	6	7	0	1	-0.597	0	13
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	14	6	8	0	0	-0.779	0	12
8 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	14	2	12	0	0	-0.978	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points