Charli Knott has played the innings of her life as Brisbane ended a 706-day WBBL winless drought with a 14-run triumph over Adelaide.
Fittingly, Queenslander and Heat stalwart's stunning 104 launched Brisbane to 4-184 at Sydney's Drummoyne Oval on Thursday, before the Strikers replied with 5-170 from their 20 overs.
Only four members of the Heat's XI remain from the last time the team tasted victory, the Challenger final back in November 2024.
Knott, who starred on the recent Australia A tour of India but averaged just 13 last summer and around 19 across her 70-game WBBL career, clubbed 12 fours and four sixes in her epic 61-ball knock.
The Strikers had no answers for Knott, who moved to the top of the Golden Bat leaderboard before being run out - barbecued by partner Yastika Bhatia - in the 18th over, before bowling four tight overs.
"It feels so good - 706 is my new favourite number," Brisbane captain Georgia Redmayne said.
"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 Adelaide's chase, which had looked on course with 56 needed off the last six overs.
That was the equation after Penna belted 27 off the 14th over from Sianna Ginger.
But Brisbane took 2-26 off the next five as the Strikers struggled to find the boundary.
Spinner Sarah Glenn (2-19) was instrumental in stemming the run flow, removing South African star Wolvaardt and captain Tahlia McGrath (13).
In the late game, Sophie Devine's team-first decision to self-retire paved the way for Perth to defeat the Sydney Thunder by 17 runs and jump to the top of the table.
Following Devine's exit, the Scorchers smashed 47 off the last three overs to post 3-183, before knocking over the Thunder for 166 in 19 overs.
While skipper Beth Mooney (80 not out) was all class en route to her competition record-extending 49th half-century, former captain Devine (42 off 39) was scratchy.
Held to 10 off her last 16 deliveries, the New Zealand veteran voluntarily ended her 39-ball vigil and England allrounder Freya Kemp made her way to the middle and crushed 30 off 10.
"Sometimes when you're batting, no matter how hard you try, it just doesn't come off, and Soph recognised that," Mooney said.
"It's hard watching a six-hitter walk off the field, but Freya came out and absolutely whacked it."
Scorchers spearhead Chloe Ainsworth (2-24), for the second straight game, struck with the first delivery of the second innings, castling Georgia Voll, before removing the dangerous Phoebe Litchfield (34).
When Heather Knight (27) was stumped by Mooney off Devine (2-31), the match looked over.
The hosts gave themselves a sniff when Laura Harris (29) and Tahlia Wilson (25) blasted 35 off the two-over power-surge, before champion legspinner Alana King (4-35) was reintroduced and destroyed the lower order.
