Grace Harris' 75 was in vain as Hobart Hurricanes recorded their highest successful WBBL chase
Derailed at the Junction
English veteran Danni Wyatt-Hodge has done the heavy lifting as Hobart completed a record-breaking chase of 174, ending Brisbane's undefeated start to the WBBL season.
A knock of 75 from Grace Harris, who opened for Australia at the recent World Cup when Alyssa Healy was injured, lifted the Heat to a total of 5-173 at Melbourne's Junction Oval on Saturday.
After celebrating their Principal Partnership with The Brisbane Heat earlier this year, they have just announced that this Summer they are putting the heat on the players on the pitch – for every SIX Brisbane Heat players hit over the WBBL & BBL, Queensland Country Bank will add $1,000 to a jackpot prize up to $100,000*.
At the end of the summer, one lucky fan will win the ENTIRE prize pool! That’s a pretty cool way to start 2025!
The WBBL Heat got the campaign underway with a crash, bang, wallop yesterday as they bested defending champions Adelaide Strikers at the Adelaide Oval. Grace Harris, who is the team’s most prolific six hitter, and rising star Charli Knott each cleared the ropes in the opening round victory. With the team in action THIS Wednesday night at Allan Border Field against the Melbourne Renegades, the tally is sure to climb quickly.
“The Queensland Country Bank Brisbane Heat partnership is a wonderful way to strengthen our presence in South-East Queensland and to allow Queensland Cricket to continue investing in community and grassroots cricket,” said Queensland Country Bank CEO Aaron Newman.
“We have a strong focus on supporting communities and so does Queensland Cricket, which is a not-for profit association, and together, we’re extending beyond the cricket pitch and we can’t wait for our Hit Your Bills for Six promotion to start. Yes it puts pressure on the players to hit big, but that’s what Queenslanders, and the players, love!”
Brisbane Heat opener Colin Munro is happy to be the banker when it comes to clearing the boundary in the BBL. The experienced Kiwi has cashed in at the top of the order on numerous occasions, blasting 548 sixes in his T20 career.
“There’s nothing better than getting one out of the middle, and the value of playing at the ‘Gabba is that my hitting zones seem to fit pretty neatly with the boundary sizes,’’ he said
“It’s pretty cool to think that the sixes from the Heat players from the WBBL and BBL will be rewarded by Queensland Country Bank, with the result being that we can deliver a really substantial reward for one of our fans.”
REGISTERING IS EASY – just enter here: Hit Your Bills for Six | Queensland Country Bank
Check the tally after each WBBL and BBL game to see where the bash for cash total stands.
*all sixes hit over the WBBL & BBL season (excluding finals)
It looked to be a competitive target but the Hurricanes, having put down four catches, quickly seized control and secured a seven-wicket win with two balls remaining.
Wyatt-Hodge smashed 62 from 35 deliveries, earning player-of-the-match honours on what was comfortably a record-breaking day for Hobart.
The Hurricanes' previous best WBBL chase came in October 2021, when they hauled in a target of 145 against Melbourne Stars.
Wyatt-Hodge, among the most experienced T20 players in the world, and fellow opener Lizelle Lee set a sizzling pace while sharing a 55-run stand in the opening six overs.
"I thought the pitch was a little bit on slow side. I just kept it simple really, if the ball was in my areas then go for it," Wyatt-Hodge told broadcasters Fox Sports.
"Just play attacking cricket but being smart about it.
"I thought that was probably about par. We knew we could chase that if we put our minds to it and get our heads down.
"Me and Lizzie just wanted to make the most of the powerplay and stick to our strengths ... keep things simple and play aggressive cricket."
Lee's dismissal for 38 failed to curb the momentum of Wyatt-Hodge, who struck six fours and three sixes in her game-changing innings.
The Heat removed Nicola Carey, victim to a sensational catch from Nadine de Klerk, and Wyatt-Hodge then continued to rally, leaving Hobart with a tricky equation of 33 runs from the final three overs.
Leg-spinner Grace Parsons' economical haul of 1-15 from four overs, including the all-important scalp of Wyatt-Hodge, gave Brisbane genuine hope of victory.
But Elyse Villani's reverse-swept boundary, her second four in a dramatic final over delivered by Charli Knott, secured the win for Hobart.
7 days until the Heat play a stand-alone match at the Gabba, taking on the Adelaide Strikers on Saturday 9 November.
WBBL and BBL tickets for the Heat are on sale now through Ticketek and at https://www.brisbaneheat.com.au/tickets