All you need to know: The WBBL|10 Challenger

How did we get here?

After defeating the Hobart Hurricanes by six wickets, Sydney Thunder earnt their place in The Challenger against the Brisbane Heat. 

The Brisbane Heat advanced straight into The Challenger after finishing in second place.

The Heat will be looking to make it to the Final for the second year in row, while the Thunder are striving to make their first final since WBBL|06.

Match facts

Who: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder

What: The Challenger, Weber WBBL|10

Where: Allan Border Field, Brisbane 

When: Friday, November 29. Bat flip at 6.30pm AEDT, first ball at 7.15pm AEDT

How to watch: Channel 7, 7+, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports

Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here

For all matches in WBBL|10 there will be a Weber Baby Q up for grabs during the innings break. Fans can simply scan the QR code on the big screen to compete in trivia on their phone. The fan with the most correct answers in the fastest time will win.

Live scores: Match Centre

Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps

Officials: Claire Polosak (field), Steve Dionysius (field), Troy Penman (third), David Taylor (fourth), Kepler Wessels (referee)

Match Squads

Brisbane Heat: Jess Jonassen (c), Georgia Redmayne (vc), Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Laura Harris, Charli Knott, Shikha Pandey, Grace Parsons, Jemimah Rodrigues, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla Wrigley

 

Sydney Thunder: Phoebe Litchfield (c), Georgia Adams, Chamari Athapaththu, Sam Bates, Ella Briscoe, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Shabnim Ismail, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson

Form Guide:

Brisbane Heat: WWWWW (Most recent first)

The Heat are one of the in-form teams of the competition having won their last five games in a row. The Heat's last loss came against the Thunder on November 7 in the match before going on the run of wins.

Sydney Thunder: WLWWNRW (Most recent first)

The Thunder's most recent win was The Knockout against the Hurricanes meaning they already have a finals win under their belts. In the game prior, the Melbourne Renegades won by a comfortable nine wickets.

What happens if it's washed out?

There is light rain forecast during the day in Brisbane, but with the first ball to be bowled at 7.15pm AEDT, that should leave plenty of time for the weather to clear and play to go ahead. If the game is washed out, the higher ranked team in the Brisbane Heat will go through to The Final.

What happens if it's a tie?

The game will go to a super over. The one-over per side decider will be used if scores finish level, with an unlimited amount of subsequent super overs to be played if the ties keep coming, pending conditions and time restrictions.

If no super over (or further super overs) are possible, the Brisbane Heat will be declared the winner after finishing higher on the table.

Players to watch:

The last time these two sides played Sam Bates had the Heat in a spin, taking four wickets for the second game in a row. She limited the Heat's run scoring ability as well having the best economy rate of any Thunder bowler that day. 

Phoebe Litchfield is coming off another match-winning performance in The Knockout against the Hurricanes and was one of the main instigators the last time these two sides met with for 40 from 25 balls. 

Similarly Heat captain Jess Jonassen comes into this game after an all round performance against the Sixers where she was the equal top scorer alongside Jemimah Rodrigues with 39 runs. She also did the damage with the ball taking three wickets to help restrict the Sixers to just 140 runs. 

Head-to-head 

These two sides met once in WBBL|10 and it was the Sydney Thunder who took the points against the Heat over at the WACA in Perth.

The Heat won the toss and sent the Thunder in to bat first and they got off to a good start through Chamari Atapaththu and Georgia Voll. It was then thanks to captain Phoebe Litchfield (40 off 25) and Heather Knight (59 not out) that the Thunder posted a competitive total of 170.

That total proved too much for the Heat who continued to lose crucial wickets until they were all out for 151 in the final over, Sam Bates taking four wickets in one of her best displays for the season. Charli Knott was the bright spark for the Heat making 55 before being bowled by Bates. 

What's on the line

A place in the final against the Melbourne Renegades at the MCG is what will await the winner of this clash. 

The Thunder come into the game with some momentum behind them having knocked out the Hobart Hurricanes to earn their place in The Challenger. The Heat come into this game just shy of a week since they last played after defeating the Sydney Sixers in the last game of the WBBL regular season. 

WBBL|10 Finals

The Knockout: Sydney Thunder beat Hobart Hurricanes by six wickets

The Challenger: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Thunder | Allan Border Field | Friday, November 29 at 7.15pm AEDT, 6.15pm AEDT

The Final: Melbourne Renegades v TBC | MCG | Sunday, December 1 at 1.20pm AEDT

Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, 7Plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC and SEN radio

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