One of the closest WBBL seasons ever is delicately poised entering the final weekend of the regular season
WBBL finals race: The run home for each club
The race for finals spots in Weber WBBL|10 is set to go down to the wire, with three teams in the running for one remaining finals berth as the tournament reaches the final weekend of the regular season.
The Thunder were the first club to cement their place in the top four, and they have since been joined by the Renegades and the Heat. None of the three teams can finish lower than third, meaning the finals will be played in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - but the final weekend will determine who hosts which game! All three remain in the running to host The Final.
At the other end of the table, two-time reigning champions Strikers cannot make finals, nor can Melbourne Stars.
The top four advance to the finals in WBBL|10, with the top-ranked team at the end of the 56-game regular season directly progressing to, and hosting, the final on December 1.
The team that finishes third will host the fourth-ranked side in The Knockout on Wednesday, November 27, with the winner of that game to then play the second-ranked team in The Challenger on Friday, November 29, for a spot in the final.
Tickets go on sale to the general public for The Knockout, The Challenger and The Final from 12pm, Monday 25 November (venue local time).
Here's how the eight teams are placed for the run home.
1st: Melbourne Renegades (14 points)
Played 10 | Won 7 | Lost 3 | NR 0 | NRR 0.527
The run home
The Renegades have completed their regular season and have cemented the right to host a final at the MCG - but now must wait to see which one it will be. They're in the box seat to host The Final after thrashing the Thunder by nine wickets on Saturday, but now must wait and see if either the third-ranked Heat lose to the Sixers, or don't win by enough to overtake them on NRR. That final part of the equation makes Hayley Matthews' blitz on Saturday all the more important with the Gades now boasting a very healthy NRR.
2nd: Sydney Thunder (13 points)
Played 10 | Won 6 | Lost 3 | NR 1 | NRR -0.002
The run home
The Thunder were the first team to officially lock in a finals berth but will now enter the post-season on the back of a hiding, having gone down to the Renegades by nine wickets on Saturday that has cost them top spot and the chance of hosting The Final. They now must wait to see the result of the Brisbane Heat's final game to find out if they finish second or third.
3rd: Brisbane Heat (12 points)
Played 9 | Won 6 | Lost 3 | NR 0 | NRR 0.276
The run home
Nov 24 v Sixers (Allan Border Field)
The Heat are on a roll and have cemented their top three spot with their rain-affected win over the Stars on Friday. They can still finish on top of the table, but they will need the Renegades to defeat the Thunder in their final game, then win their remaining game by a large enough margin to finish above the Gades on NRR.
4th: Perth Scorchers (9 points)
Played 9 | Won 4 | Lost 4 | Tied: 1 | NR 0 | NRR -0.091
The run home
Nov 23 v Hurricanes (WACA Ground)
The Scorchers and Sixers could not be split on Thursday, even after a Super Over. That leaves the Scorchers to play a do-or-die final game against the Hurricanes on Saturday night, with the winner to advance. Their best-case result is a fourth-placed finish.
5th: Hobart Hurricanes (8 points)
Played 9 | Won 4 | Lost 5 | NR 0 | NRR 0.104
The run home
Nov 23 v Scorchers (WACA Ground)
The equation for the Hurricanes is pretty simple following their loss to the Renegades. They will play the fourth-ranked Scorchers on Saturday night, and if they win, they will more than likely advance to the finals. The only danger to the Hurricanes would be the Sixers, who could equal them on 10 points - but the Sixers' poor NRR means they are unlikely to leapfrog them on the table.
6th: Sydney Sixers (8 points)
Played 9 | Won 3 | Lost 4 | Tied: 1 | NR 1 | NRR -0.367
The run home
Nov 24 v Heat (Allan Border Field)
The Sixers, somehow, are once again on the brink of missing the finals despite boasting one of the most stacked lists in the league. All is not lost, however - there remains a slim chance the Sixers could advance if they beat the Heat, and the Hurricanes defeat the Scorchers, which would leave both teams tied on 10 points - however, the Sixers' woeful net run rate is a serious obstacle.
7th: Adelaide Strikers (6 points)
Played 9 | Won 3 | Lost 6 | NR 0 | NRR -0.357
The run home
Nov 24 v Stars (CitiPower Centre)
The two-time defending champions are out of the race for finals but a second-straight win over Perth Scorchers on Tuesday, November 19 has lifted the SA side off the bottom of the table.
8th: Melbourne Stars (4 points)
Played 9 | Won 2 | Lost 7 | NR 0 | NRR -0.205
The run home
Nov 24 v Strikers (CitiPower Centre)
The Stars' season is over and the club will be frustrated by a series of narrow defeats, while their batting group never quite got going this season. They will meet the Strikers in a 'spoonbowl' on Sunday to determine who finishes on the bottom of the table.
Weber WBBL|10 finals structure
The Knockout
Team 3 v Team 4, Wednesday, November 27, 7.15pm AEDT
The Knockout is hosted by the team that finishes third, with the winner to advance to The Challenger.
The Challenger
Team 2 v the winner of The Knockout, Friday, November 29, 7.15pm AEDT
The Challenger is hosted by the team that finishes second, with the winner to advance to The Final.
The Final
Team 1 v the winner of the Challenger, Sunday, November 29, 1.20pm AEDT (or 4pm AEDT if hosted by Perth Scorchers)
The Final is hosted by the team that finishes first, and the winner will be crowned WBBL|10 champions!
WBBL|10 finals venues
Brisbane Heat: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (Knockout & Challenger), the Gabba (The Final)
Melbourne Renegades: MCG, Melbourne
Sydney Thunder: Drummoyne Oval, Sydney
Only the Brisbane Heat, Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder can qualify high enough to host finals.
Weber WBBL|10 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
REN
|
10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.527 | 0 | 14 |
|
2
THU
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -0.002 | 0 | 13 |
|
3
HEA
|
9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.276 | 0 | 12 |
|
4
SCO
|
9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | -0.091 | 0 | 9 |
|
5
HUR
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.104 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
SIX
|
9 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | -0.367 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
STR
|
9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.357 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
STA
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -0.205 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points