A startling Brisbane Heat batting collapse while pursuing a run rate boost allowed the Sydney Thunder to enter the WBBL finals on a high note with a nail-biting two-run win.
In pursuit of the Thunder's 8-117, the Heat looked in complete control at 4-91 in the 14th over, needing well under a run a ball to prevail at Allan Border Field.
Grace Harris and Jess Jonassen both looked in good touch, scoring 33 apiece.
But the Heat mysteriously crumbled, losing their last six wickets for 24 to be skittled for 115 in 17.4 overs.
While the Heat's execution with the bat wasn't great, the rationale behind them going super-hard in the chase was sound.
When news filtered across that the Perth Scorchers had secured third spot by beating the Melbourne Renegades, the Heat's forlorn chance of sneaking into the four now rested on them ousting the Adelaide Strikers (who lost to the Sydney Sixers) on net run rate.
To do that, the Heat had to get past the Thunder in the 16th over but Brisbane's subsequent risky batting wasn't rewarded.
Player-of-the-match Belinda Vakarewa cut into the Thunder's top order with a career-best 3-17 after pace bowler Rene Farrell (3-19) got the ball rolling by sending the dangerous Beth Mooney packing.
Earlier, Nicola Carey top-scored for the Thunder with a run-a-ball 26 before Heat off-spinner Jemma Barsby dismantled the Thunder's lower order, finishing with the remarkable figures of 4-2 off just two overs.
Barsby's haul was the best in the WBBL this season and the fourth best in the competition's history.
But it was to no avail as the fifth-placed Heat (7-7) missed the finals by two points.
The Thunder (10-4) finished second to the Sydney Sixers on net run rate and take on the Scorchers in Thursday's semi-final at Perth's Optus Stadium.
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