Nerveless Wellington executes again on biggest stage

Amanda-Jade Wellington and clutch performances to seal WBBL finals are becoming a trend.

For a second consecutive year captain Tahlia McGrath entrusted her star leggie with the final over with the trophy on the line.

Last season at North Sydney Oval, the Sixers needed 23 runs from the final six balls. Wellington held them to 12.

This time the equation was much tighter in front of a record home crowd at Adelaide Oval; the Heat needed 13 runs and Wellington again came up clutch, sealing back-to-back titles by three runs.

"I'm just overwhelmed with joy – two years in a row, to have the faith to bowl the last over is pretty special," Wellington said after the game.

"(I was feeling) nerves, I was getting flashbacks from last year but I think for me, I love those moments.

"Especially when there's a crowd behind me and I know my team are backing me and I know I've just got to land my lengths (and) just back myself.

"I was looking at the scoreboard trying to take note of how many runs I needed to defend off the last over.

"I thought anything over 10, I had it in the bag ... I told myself as soon as I got to my run up to take a deep breath, take every ball as it is and take my time and know that if I back my skills, I'm going to do it."

That final over was not without its nervous moments.

After Amelia Kerr and Georgia Voll were only able to take a pair of singles off the first two balls, Wellington dismissed Voll holing out, leaving the Heat needing 11 off three.

But when Mikayla Hinkley went big first ball and just cleared the hands of Georgia Adams on the long-on boundary for six, the Heat were suddenly very much in the game.

Hinkley went big again next ball but this time into the wind towards long-off, and Jemma Barsby managed to plant herself under it, holding onto a clutch catch.

Then, Wellington had to prevent Nicola Hancock hitting a six or four from the final ball, to either win the game or at least take it to a super over.

"My heart stopped and then I saw Jemma getting settled under it about two metres in from of boundary. Then she held it and I let out a big scream," Wellington said.

"I was just telling myself to land (the final ball) outside off, try and get her swing to the leg side.

"I wanted to be full, but not too full that she could get under it. Luckily, she top-edged it to the short third."

For McGrath, the only question in her mind as the game approached its thrilling finale was whether she would use Wellington to bowl one of the two power surge overs, or save her for the 20th.

"Wello was awesome for us, she had a very clear plan, she had this look in her eyes that she knew what she wanted to do.

"Then she executed for us and it was very similar to last year, Wello with ball in hand and getting the job done."

WBBL|09 Finals

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat defeated Sydney Thunder by 44 runs 

The Challenger: Brisbane Heat defeated Perth Scorchers by 67 runs

The Final: Adelaide Strikers defeated Brisbane Heat by 3 runs

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