Sydney Thunder miss out on WBBL win as Adelaide Strikers clash ended early by rain
Phoebe Litchfield was clearly frustrated by how the game ended. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed)
In short:
The Thunder have missed out on a Women's Big Bash League win after umpires called a game off with the Sydney side three runs away from victory.
Rain had reduced the game to five-overs-a-side, but Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield smashed 38 off 15 to put them on the cusp of victory.
What's next?
The Thunder face the Sixers at North Sydney Oval for the Sydney Smash on Sunday afternoon.
Sydney Thunder have missed out on a WBBL win after umpires abandoned play when the Thunder were just three runs from downing the Strikers on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval.
Chasing 46 runs to win in five overs, Phoebe Litchfield's 38 from 15 balls powered the Thunder to 0-43 from 2.5 overs.
The scheduled early fixture on the double-header between the Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat was washed out, and rain reduced the Adelaide showdown to a five-overs-a-side game.
And while rain was falling — and had been for a quarter-hour — in the late game, umpires suddenly called off Friday night's contest, leaving the Thunder stunned.
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"Disappointed," Litchfield told Fox Sports.
"It's a shame … it's pretty disappointing."
Adelaide Strikers captain Tahlia McGrath said she had been pestering the umpires earlier in the innings but had given up and resigned herself to the outcome when the match was ended prematurely.
"Tough one," she said.
"The rain eased up, but the ball was slippery; the umpires made the call."
Litchfield's brazen batting lifted the Thunder to the cusp of a win that would have lifted them from seventh on the ladder.
Thunder bowler Sam Bates could barely believe what she was seeing. (Supplied: Kayo)
Their run chase started brightly with 13 runs from the opening over as rain fell again.
Litchfield then blazed four consecutive fours from Darcie Brown and came within metres of a fifth when a long drive fell just short of the rope.
The left-hander edged through the vacant slips for a fifth boundary from the eventful over of Brown (0-22).
The Thunder were 0-35 after two but would face just five more balls from leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington before the controversial finish.
In what turned out to be the last ball of the match, Wellington, who had been desperately trying to dry her hands and the ball as the rain fell through the over, lobbed up a full toss that Litchfield switch hit.
She launched a top-edge high that Ellie Johnston was unable to handle, with the umpires coming together immediately afterwards to call off the match, much to the frustration of Litchfield, opening partner Georgia Voll and former Striker Callum Ferguson.
"You can't do that," he said in commentary for Fox.
"It beggars belief. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. It's unacceptable in my eyes."
Earlier, Adelaide's Laura Wolvaardt hit 22 from 13 balls in the home side's 2-45 from five overs.
Wolvaardt smacked a six and two fours, and skipper McGrath's 12 from six balls was a handy finishing flourish.
Five Thunder bowlers delivered an over, with Shabnim Ismail (1-6) and Lucy Finn (1-12) the wicket-takers.
AAP/ABC