Fielding stunners set WBBL finalists

In the end, it was two remarkable pieces of fielding that decided this summer’s Rebel WBBL finalists.

The Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat will face off at Drummoyne Oval next Saturday January 26 in what looms as a mouth-watering contest between the competition’s two hardest-hitting line-ups.

The Heat grabbed their spot when Haidee Birkett’s brilliant running catch on the boundary sealed a final-ball victory against the Sydney Thunder in the day’s first semi-final.

Then, just hours later, an incredible diving save from Sixers allrounder Erin Burns cut off what would have been the winning boundary for the Melbourne Renegades and Alyssa Healy threw down the stumps to force the second semi-final into a Super Over the Sixers ultimately won.

“My heart hasn’t stopped yet, but to get a win and make another WBBL final is an incredible achievement by this group, we look forward to next week but wow, that was a serious game of cricket,” Sixers wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy reflected after helping her team take out the Super Over.

“I threw it as hard as I could and normally they go about three-foot wide, so thankfully it hit.

“It was an unbelievable effort by Erin Burns on the boundary to stop it and Soph (Molineux) batted all innings so it would have been really tough for her to turn around and get two (runs).

“We wrestled the momentum back and managed to get up in the Super Over.”

Now the stage is set: two-time champions Sixers against first-time finalists Brisbane Heat, with the action to kick off at 10.10am AEDT and broadcast on Channel 7 and Fox Cricket ahead of day three of the first men’s Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba.

Tickets for the WBBL final are now on sale, with adults $10, concession $5 and children free.

All proceeds from the ticket sales will go towards Dolly’s Dream, a charity supporting the fight against bullying.

This season is the first time the WBBL finals have been played separately from the KFC BBL, and the first time two-time winners Sixers have been able to play a decider in front of a home crowd.

In the tournament’s inaugural season they suffered a narrow defeat to the Thunder at the MCG, before their back-to-back titles were claimed at the WACA Ground and Adelaide Oval.

“It’s obviously special to have standalone WBBL finals and to snag a home one is really special,” Healy said.

“It’s something this group will really cherish, something we’ve been working towards over the last few years and to see it come true is special.

“We’ve have liked a cross-town Sydney derby final but you can’t pick and choose, so we’ll do our homework against the Heat this week and come out all guns blazing next Saturday.”

Honours have been split in the two meetings between the teams during the regular season, with an Ellyse Perry century helping the Sixers to an 11-run win on December 22 at the SCG before the Heat bounced back one day later at Hurstville Oval, rolling their opposition for 88 in a 66-run victory.