One of the closest WBBL seasons ever will need the final regular season game to determine who makes the final, and who earns the all-important hosting rights
Explained: WBBL finals scenarios hinge on Heat-Sixers
The race for finals hosting rights in Weber WBBL|10 comes down to the final game of the regular season, and with one spot in the final four still up for grabs 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 those three teams can finish lower than third, meaning the finals will be played in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - but the final match on Sunday night between the Heat and Sydney Sixers 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 final stretch of 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: Hobart Hurricanes (10 points)
Played 10 | Won 5 | Lost 5 | NR 0 | NRR 0.189
The run home
The Hurricanes have put themselves in a very strong position to take the final top-four spot with a win over the Scorchers. 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.
5th: Perth Scorchers (9 points)
Played 10 | Won 4 | Lost 5 | Tied: 1 | NR 0 | NRR -0.171
The run home
The Scorchers have bowed out of the competition after their loss to the Hurricanes on back of another shocking batting collapse. Their final position on the ladder will be determined by the Sixers' results in the last league game of the season.
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 (7 points)
Played 10 | Won 3 | Lost 6 | NR 1 | NRR -0.357
The run home
The two-time defending champions bowed out the race for finals early but were at least able to lift themselves off the bottom of the table by beating the Scorchers on November 19 while, perhaps fittingly, their final match was a damp squib, abandoned without a ball bowled in Melbourne on Sunday morning.
8th: Melbourne Stars (5 points)
Played 10 | Won 2 | Lost 7 | NR 1 | NRR -0.205
The run home
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 finished rock bottom of the table, again frustrated that the chance to lift themselves was denied them by rain in Melbourne on Sunday morning that saw their match with the Strikers abandoned without a ball bowled.
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
HEA
|
10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.384 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
THU
|
10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -0.002 | 0 | 13 |
|
4
HUR
|
10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.189 | 0 | 10 |
|
5
SCO
|
10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | -0.171 | 0 | 9 |
|
6
SIX
|
10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | -0.477 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
STR
|
10 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | -0.357 | 0 | 7 |
|
8
STA
|
10 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | -0.205 | 0 | 5 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points