Heat secure victory but lose out on home final

Brisbane Heat finished with a win to end up with 14 points at the end of the league stage but the win wasn't enough to boost their net run-rate past the top-placed Melbourne Renegades who have secured a home final. Heat finished with an NRR of +0.384, falling behind Renegades who finished atop the table with an NRR of +0.527.

Needing 141 for victory, Heat took 17 overs to eventually get over the line.

Three-wicket hauls for Lucy Hamilton and Jess Jonassen kept Sixers to 140 despite a steady start from the openers. Amelia Kerr (41) and Ellyse Perry (33) were involved in a 63-run opening stand after the Sixers were asked to bat. But in an attempt to up the pace in the second half of their innings, the Sixers kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They lost their last six wickets for 19 runs, with all six falling off the last 14 deliveries.

Heat lost Grace Harris early in the chase but Jemimah Rodrigues's 22-ball 39 provided the impetus. Quick wickets meant that Heat could not have a period of sustained aggression and Georgia Redmayne (25 off 29) also struggled to up the pace. Jonassen's 39 not out off 29 took them to the target as Heat progressed to the Challenger game and await the winner of Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes knockout clash.

Brief scores:

Sydney Sixers 140 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 41, Ellyse Perry 33; Lucy Hamilton 3-21, Jess Jonassen 3-26) lost to Brisbane Heat 142/5 in 17 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 39, Jess Jonassen 39*; Amelia Kerr 2-30, Caoimhe Bray 2-38) by 5 wickets.