WBBL Review: Sydney sides dominate as Brisbane begin to feel Heat

Sydney sides are making home advantage count as both win by the same margin. Brisbane Heat crumble as Ellyse Perry steals the show

Three in a row for Thunder

Sydney Thunder’s WBBL campaign is going from strength to strength. Trevor Griffin’s side have won three on the bounce for the first time since October 2019. With victory margins of 58 runs, 14 runs (DLS) and 24 runs, there is no sign that they are going to slow down any time soon – they even defeated the defending champions Brisbane Heat.

England captain Heather Knight was in the runs again against Perth Scorchers, scoring her second half-century in the space of a week. Her latest fifty means she has more runs than anyone in the competition.

Knight scored 57 off 46 balls, an innings which was overshadowed by her Thunder skipper Rachael Haynes. Haynes contributed an unbeaten 61 off 51 balls in a knock that included three fours and as many sixes to help her side post 144 for 4 in their 20 overs.

Whatever Knight can do with the bat, she can back it up with the ball. She took 2-29 in her four overs, including the wicket of England teammate, Sarah Glenn, who fell for a golden duck.

Suzie Bates had Perth Scorchers in a rut. The New Zealander was very economical – only conceding a measly nine runs off her four overs, taking three wickets in the process.

Champions feeling the Heat

The 2019 winners are crumbling. After a 24-run defeat to Sydney Sixers and a reserve against Sydney Thunder at the weekend, Heat are yet to find their mojo.

Looking for their third triumph in a row, Heat are sitting in fourth with one win from their opening five matches, a run partly influenced by the weather.

Poor batting was to blame on this occasion. Heat lost wickets in clusters. The old adage of one brings two came to fruition as Jess Jonassen’s side lost four wickets for 11 runs early on, slumping to 17 for 4. They then recovered slightly before losing five for 25. A 10th wicket stand of 25 gave their 105 all out some respectability.

However, when Heat have lost two or more matches they generally bounce back. Is that an omen? Can they get back to winning ways at the weekend with fixtures against Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars? That may be difficult given Melbourne Stars are on a roll and Adelaide Strikers, with Laura Wolvaardt in toe, will be fired up after their defeat earlier in the week.

_{Brisnane Heat have only won one match in this campaign so far}

Perry lets off the fireworks

We always expect big things from Ellyse Perry, and more often than not she delivers. 

Despite 2020 not being her year due to hamstring injuries, she has fought back hard during the WBBL so far – making up for all the lost time.

Going along with her run-a-ball 54, Perry dazzled with the ball – taking 3-17 off her four overs. 

Ash Gardner also took three wickets to seal the victory, including those of Jonassen, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and Australia teammate Delissa Kimmince.

With both Sixers and Thunder winning today, and both sides filling the top two spots after picking up three wins from five matches, will the WBBL title be going to Sydney after a two-year stay in Queensland?

There’s still a long way to go in this competition so who knows, but both sides play an explosive brand of cricket and have a slender lead over the star-studded Melbourne Stars who are one point behind the Sydney outfits.