Heat secure WBBL finals spot with win over Stars

Brisbane Heat have secured a WBBL finals spot with a nine-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars in a rain-affected fixture. The Heat's bowlers ripped through the Stars' top-order batters on Friday in a match reduced to seven overs a side at Brisbane's Allan Border Field. The Stars made just 6-46 after losing their initial four wickets in a three-run span - Heat duo Lucy Hamilton and skipper Jess Jonassen took two wickets each in 10 balls. Brisbane cruised to 1-47 from 5.2 overs - they can't miss the finals and remain a strong chance of pinching top spot from ladder-leaders Sydney Thunder. The Heat joined the Melbourne Renegades on 12 points, one behind the Thunder. The Renegades play the Thunder on Saturday in their last game before the finals while Brisbane's last match is against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday. After heavy rain delayed the start on Friday night, the last-placed Stars scored 0-21 from their initial two overs. But the Heat's 18-year-old quick Hamilton - who destroyed the Stars five days ago when taking 5-8 - again turned tormentor. Hamilton claimed two wickets in three balls and, next over, skipper Jonassen collected two more as the Stars crashed from 0-21 to 4-24. Hamilton finished with 2-8 from two overs and Jonassen returned 3-8 from her two overs with only two Stars batters - Rhys McKenna (15) and Tess Flintoff (14no) - reaching double figures. Brisbane were untroubled in their run chase: Grace Harris set the tone by smacking the first three balls of the innings for four. Harris (21no from 16 balls) and Laura Harris (11 from 8) put on 34 for the first wicket as the Heat cruised to victory.