Du Preez made 60 off 49 as Heat held their nerve chasing 138 with one ball to spare after Madeline Penna’s half-century gave Strikers a score to defend

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2023

Mignon du Preez made an important half-century•Getty Images

A classy half-century from Mignon du Preez helped Brisbane Heat scrape past Adelaide Strikers in a nervy low-scoring thriller in Mackay.Chasing 138 to win following a disciplined bowling performance that only faltered late in the innings, du Preez controlled the Heat’s chase with 60 from 49, as she played brilliantly down the ground to the spinners.But there was a brief wobble when she was caught and bowled by Amanda-Jade Wellington and Megan Schutt had Jess Jonassen caught shortly after.But Englishwoman Bess Heath was able to get the hosts home with a streaky edge that went to the boundary with one ball to spare, after some nervy dot balls off Gibson in the final over.Du Preez got excellent support from Charli Knott who made 21 from 18 balls after Heat’s top-order stumbled against the miserly Strikers opening duo of Schutt and Anesu Mushangwe.But Heat would have been frustrated to chase as many as they did after they had Strikers in trouble early at 31 for 3 after seven overs. Knott and Amelia Kerr had done all the damage with the ball before Madeline Penna was able to hit the Strikers out of trouble with an unbeaten 57 from 46 balls.Danielle Gibson also blasted 34 not out from 17 balls, helping lift the Strikers to a competitive total of 137 for 5. But it wasn’t enough.The result snapped the Strikers’ four-game winning streak leaving them one point behind the ladder-leading Sydney Thunder, level with Perth Scorchers, and two points ahead of the fourth-placed Heat.