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Sport
Justin Chadwick

Heat down Hurricanes in WBBL Eliminator

Brisbane's Laura Harris came close to smashing the fastest half-century in the WBBL. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Laura Harris came close to posting the fastest half century in WBBL history as she powered the Brisbane Heat to a 44-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes in The Eliminator.

Harris (44 off 14 balls) and Danielle Wyatt (52 off 38 balls) lifted the Heat to a formidable 7-179 in Wednesday night's clash at Adelaide's Karen Rolton Oval.

The total was the highest ever in a WBBL play-off match.

In reply, the Hurricanes were 0-61 in the eighth over before losing their way to finish at 9-135, with spinner Jessica Jonassen running riot late to snare 4-23.

The run out of Elyse Villani (25 off 17) and the dismissal of Lizelle Lee (47 off 42) sparked Hobart's downfall, with the Hurricanes losing a flurry of wickets as the required run rate went through the roof.

Brisbane will now take on the Adelaide Strikers in The Challenger on Thursday, with the winner to meet the Sydney Sixers in Saturday's grand final.

The Heat were sloppy in the field, dropping a series of catches and conceding a number of boundaries through misfields.

But they had more than enough runs on the board following the heroics of Harris and Wyatt.

Harris even threatened to set a new WBBL record after cracking six fours and three sixes to move to 44 off 13 balls.

The fastest WBBL half-century came earlier this month when Melbourne Stars allrounder Tess Flintoff reached 50 off 16 deliveries.

Harris set her sights on beating that mark by attempting to slog her 14th delivery for a six.

But the Nicola Carey delivery evaded the bat and crashed into the stumps, putting an end to the blazing knock.

Harris was particularly brutal during the two-over Power Surge, with the Heat posting 36 runs across the 13th and 14th overs.

The Heat would have made an even bigger total if it wasn't for Hurricanes spinner Amy Smith, who returned figures of 3-21 off four overs.

Adelaide Strikers spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington snared 5-8 to sink the Heat in last year's Eliminator.

The Heat now have the chance to exact revenge.

"We've learnt a lot from that Eliminator last year," Jonassen told Fox Cricket.

"We cracked a bit under the pressure and we've spent a lot of time during the pre-season back in State land, and even throughout this campaign, about how to approach things slightly differently.

"The Strikers are a world-class outfit, they've got a number of international players in there.

"I think it's going to be an absolute cracker ... and hopefully (we can) send those Strikers fans home sad."

Star Heat opener Georgia Redmayne, who missed the past four games with a hamstring strain, scored 14 off 13 balls and got through her wicketkeeping duties to prove she is over the injury.

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