WBBL 2024: Melbourne Renegades beats Brisbane Heat by 7 runs in rain-affected final, lifts maiden title

Melbourne Renegades clinched its maiden Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) title on Sunday with a seven-run win over Brisbane Heat in a rain-affected final in Melbourne.

Sophie Molineux-led Renegades were asked to bat first after Heat skipper Jess Jonassen won the toss in the summit clash of the 10th edition of the tournament.

The Renegades, playing in a WBBL final for the first time, managed to post a score of 141 for 9 with major contributions from opener Hayley Matthews (69) Georgia Wareham (21) and Naomi Stalenberg (16). For Heat, Charli Knott was the pick of the bowlers with three for 28.

Heat, eyeing a record third title, had a terrible start as it lost Grace Harris (0) and Jemimah Rodrigues (1) in the first two overs of the chase.

Rain arrived during the fourth over and halted the play for half an hour. As a result, Heat was set a revised target of 98 off 12 overs.

Shortly after resumption, Molineux dismissed opener Georgia Redmayne (16). Matthew reduced the Heat to 37 for 5 with a double-wicket over, removing Knott (7) and Laura Harris (0).

Jonassen (44 not out) and Lauren Winfield-Hill (3) took the score to 68 when Deandra Dottin dismissed the latter. Nicola Hancock joined (13 not out) her skipper in the middle with 30 runs needed off 13 balls.

Defending 19 runs in the final over, Molineux conceded only singles in the first five balls. Jonassen hit a six on the final delivery but by then, it was too late.