Charli Knott's 61-ball 104 ends Brisbane Heat's 706-day winless streak in the WBBL

Brisbane Heat 184 for 4 (Knott 104, Ecclestone 1-18) beat Adelaide Strikers 170 for 5 (Wolvaardt 75, Penna 68, Glenn 2-19, Harris 2-19) by 14 runs

Charli Knott played arguably the best innings in her short career so far as Brisbane Heat ended a 706-day winless drought in the WBBL with a 14-run win over Adelaide Strikers at Sydney's Drummoyne Oval on Thursday. Knott's stunning 104 launched Heat to 184 for 4 before Strikers replied with 170 for 5.

Only four members of the current Heat XI were in action the last time the team tasted victory, the Challenger back in November 2024: Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne, who is now the captain, Knott and Lucy Hamilton.

Knott, who starred on the recent Australia A tour of India but averaged under 20 across her 70-game WBBL career before this game, clubbed 12 fours and four sixes in her 61-ball knock.

Strikers had no answers to Knott, who moved to the top of the table for run-scorers this season with 177 runs before being run out - barbecued by partner Yastika Bhatia - in the 18th over. She later came on to bowl her four overs for just 26 runs.

"It feels so good - 706 is my new favourite number," Redmayne said after the game, referring to the number of days Heat had gone without winning a game in the WBBL. "Knotty was absolutely outstanding today, with the bat and the ball. There's a bit of emotion in the team. We're all very glad to get over that hurdle."

Laura Wolvaardt (75) and Madeline Penna (68) were the mainstays of Strikers' chase, which had looked on course with 56 needed off the last six overs - that was the equation after Penna had belted 27 off the 14th over from Sianna Ginger.

But Heat held their nerve, taking two wickets for 26 runs off the next five as the Strikers batters struggled to find the boundary.

Sarah Glenn was instrumental in stemming the run-flow, removing Wolvaardt and captain Tahlia McGrath (13). Glenn and fellow spinner Harris both returned 2 for 19.