The WBBL finals will begin in Perth this week with both The Challenger and The Eliminator to be held at the WACA Ground
WBBL finals set for Adelaide Oval, WACA Ground
Adelaide Oval and the WACA Ground have been confirmed as the venues for this year's Weber WBBL|09 finals following the final day of the regular season.
The Strikers had already cemented top spot on Friday night when they knocked off the Scorchers at home.
But second spot went down to the wire as Perth’s second-placed finish was confirmed when the Thunder went down to the Sixers in Sunday’s Sydney Smash.
The defending champions now progress directly to and host the final at Adelaide Oval on December 2, having earned themselves the best part of a week off to rest and prepare for a tilt at back-to-back titles.
But they will not know their opponent in the decider until after Wednesday’s Challenger final, which pits the second-ranked Perth Scorchers against the winner of Tuesday's Eliminator between Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat.
Tickets for all finals will go on sale on Monday at midday local time in Adelaide and Perth HERE.
WBBL Finals
The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder | WACA Ground | November 28, 7.40pm AEDT (4.40pm local)
The Challenger: Perth Scorchers v TBC | WACA Ground | November 29, 7.40pm AEDT (4.40pm local)
The Final: Adelaide Strikers v TBC | Adelaide Oval | December 2 at 7.10pm AEDT/6.40pm ACDT
Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC radio
The top four was all but locked in going into Sunday, with only a slight mathematical chance the Hurricanes could sneak into fourth spot.
But the Thunder had a golden opportunity to claim second spot and an easier route to the final, sitting one point behind the Scorchers going into the Sydney Smash.
Their nine-wicket defeat meant both midweek finals will be played at the WACA Ground.
Under the WBBL|09 Finals structure, The Eliminator between the Thunder and Heat will also be held at the Perth ground due to the one-day turnaround between matches.
There is a reserve day in place for The Final, with the match able to be played on Sunday, December 3 at 4.10pm AEDT if necessary.
However there are no reserve days in place for the Eliminator or Challenger, and if there is a washout, the higher-ranked team will progress.
The last time the WBBL final was played in Adelaide Oval was in 2017-18 when Sydney Sixers defeated Perth Scorchers in the WBBL|03 decider in a doubleheader that was played alongside the KFC BBL showpiece.
The iconic ground also hosted the first Eliminator and Challenger finals WBBL|07 in 2021.
"This has been a fantastic WBBL season, culminating in the thrilling WBBL Stadium Series this past weekend," Cricket Australia’s Big Bash Leagues general manager Alistair Dobson said.
"Fans have been treated to quality cricket on the field and a brilliant experience off it.
"This season has been one of the tightest competitions in the league’s history, and we look forward to welcoming fans to the WACA Ground and Adelaide Oval this week to witness what is shaping up to be another epic finals series."
WBBL Finals
The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder | WACA Ground | November 28, 7.10pm AEDT (4.10pm local)
The Challenger: Perth Scorchers v TBC | WACA Ground | November 29, 7.10pm AEDT (4.10pm local)
The Final: Adelaide Strikers v TBC | Adelaide Oval | December 2 at 7.10pm AEDT/6.40pm ACDT
Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC radio