Amanda-Jade Wellington returned 5-8. the best bowling performance in WBBL history, to help Adelaide Strikers beat Brisbane Heat by eight wickets in the Eliminator of the 2021 edition, at the Adelaide Oval. The Strikers will now face Melbourne Renegades on 25 November, in the Challenger for a place in the final against Perth Scorchers.
After Tahlia McGrath opted to bowl, Wellington, on her 100th WBBL match, bowled a maiden and eighteen dots to send Brisbane in disarray. They struggled to reach 114/8 as No. 9 Nicola Hancock top-scored with a 26-ball 40.
Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown (2-18) started well for the Strikers, conceding just 25 in the Powerplay. Wellington, introduced in the seventh over, got rewarded after the pressure was built. She dismissed Grace Harris and Mikayla Hinkley in the space of three balls, and got Jess Jonassen in the next over.
The Heat were 52/7 at one stage. Nadine de Klerk and Hancock recovered them from there, stitching a 56-run stand to take their side to a respectable total.
It was a straightforward chase for the Strikers. Dane van Niekerk and Laura Wolvaardt departed cheaply, but the in-form Katie Mack (50*) and McGrath (38*) shared an unbroken 71-run stand for the third wicket to take their side past the finishing with 21 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Brisbane Heat 114/8 in 20 overs (Hancock 40*; Wellington 5-8) lost to Adelaide Strikers 118/2 in 16.3 overs (Mack 50*; Yadav 1-19) by 8 wickets with 21 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Amanda-Jade Wellington.