Melbourne Renegades clinch maiden women’s Big Bash League title

West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews scored 69 and took two wickets as the Melbourne Renegades beat Brisbane Heat to win a rain-affected women’s Big Bash League final.

The Renegades were victorious by seven runs on the DLS method to secure their first silverware in the 10th season of the tournament.

Matthews led their charge, hitting her runs off 61 balls before being dismissed in the final over as her side made 141-9.

Rain began falling in the fourth over of the Heat’s run chase when they were 15-2, with the covers coming on at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Their innings was reduced to 12 overs and Heat were set a revised 98-run target to win.

But Georgia Redmayne fell for 16 soon after the restart before Matthews removed Charli Knott and Laura Harris in successive balls.

Captain Jess Jonassen did her best to get them over the line with an unbeaten 44 off 28, but the Heat finished on 90-6 to suffer a second successive WBBL final defeat.

“It’s pure elation. It’s been a long 10 years at the Renegades, plenty of highs and lows,” said Melbourne skipper Sophie Molineux.

“It’s just been so good this year. I’m just really happy for everyone involved. It does mean a lot.”