Tasmania keep four-peat dream alive with thrilling win

Tasmania have kept their WNCL season alive in dramatic fashion, hanging on to defeat Victoria by one run in a final-ball thriller in Hobart.

Chasing 5-254 at Bellerive Oval, Victoria were seven down and needing 10 runs from the final over with first drop Ella Hayward in the 80s.

Leg-spinner Amy Smith's first delivery was dispatched for four by Jas Nevins, and while Hayward was able to get herself on strike to face the final ball with two needed, she only managed to edge a simple chance to Elyse Villani at short extra cover - handing Smith a fifth wicket.

The loss ended Victoria's hopes of finishing in the top two and joining Queensland in the final, while Tasmania's unlikely tilt at qualifying for a fourth consecutive final remains alive.

They are currently fourth on the table on 27 points, three points behind second-ranked South Australia and two behind third-ranked New South Wales.

To join Queensland in the decider, they will need to beat Victoria when the sides meet again on Friday, and hope NSW and SA both lose their remaining games. 

Early strikes from Victoria had Tasmania in trouble at 3-37, but a brilliant 190-run partnership from Rachel Trenaman and Naomi Stalenberg rescued the Tigers' innings. 

Trenaman continued her impressive return after more than 750 days on the sidelines due to back-to-back ACL injuries, hitting 124 from 141 deliveries.

It carried on from the 63 and 80no she had struck in her first two innings back on the park.

She was backed up by Stalenberg's 80 as the Tigers posted 5-254.

Nicola Faltum (52) and Hayward (84) then led the way as Victoria took the chase down to the wire, setting up the thrilling finish.     

The teams will meet again at the same venue on Friday.