SYDNEY, Australia, (CMC) – Barbados and West Indies stroke-maker Deandra Dottin took the Women’s Big Bash league by storm on Sunday, pummelling a stroke-filled half-century to fire her new franchise Brisbane Heat to a commanding five-wicket victory over Sydney Sixers.Chasing 139 for victory in their opening game of the tournament at the North Sydney Oval, Heat overhauled their target with four balls to spare, with the right-handed Dottin ending unbeaten on 60 off 44 deliveries to earn Player-of-the-Match honours.
Heat were in chaos at 38 for four in the ninth over before Dottin arrived to inspire a 76-run fifth wicket stand with Jess Jonassen, who made 30 from 18 deliveries.
When the left-handed Jonassen, who struck three fours and one six, departed at the end of the 16th over, Heat still needed 25 runs from 24 balls to secure victory.
Both Dottin and Jemma Barsby (9 not out) struck key boundaries to keep Heat in touch with the run rate, and they entered the final over needing just five for victory.
Dottin then made sure of the result, smashing consecutive boundaries off the first two deliveries of the final over sent down by off-spinner Lauren Smith.
All told, Dottin counted nine fours and a six in what was her career-best in the Big Bash following an underwhelming last campaign.
Earlier, she had taken two for 24 from three overs of medium pace to help limit Sixers to 138 for six off her 20 overs.
Alyssa Healy top-scored with 48 off 42 deliveries in a 74-run opening stand with Ellyse Perry who made a run-a-ball 42.
In the second game of the triple-header, Dottin’s Barbados and West Indies teammate, Hayley Matthews shone with the ball but failed with the bat as her Hobart Hurricanes crashed to a 17-run defeat to Perth Scorchers.
She grabbed two for 19 from her four overs of off-spin as Scorchers reached 142 for four but then made just nine as Hurricanes could muster only 125 for nine from their 20 overs.