Nadine de Klerk impressed for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Thunder on Thursday night, but couldn’t prevent her side from falling to a 12-run defeat in the second WBBL semi-final.
The young all-rounder had struggled to produce during in the earlier stages of the tournament, only passing 10 once with the bat and taking just one wicket in eight matches with her medium pace.
However, she caught the eye in both disciplines in the final-four clash at the North Sydney Oval.
de Klerk was the standout Heat bowler, taking the prize wicket of England captain Heather Knight as well as removing opposition wicket-keeper Tahlia Wilson.
The 20-year-old recorded excellent figures of 2/11 from her three overs as the Thunder were restricted to 143/6.
The Heat’s chase got off to a rocky start when Grace Harris was bowled in the second over, but de Klerk came in and steadied the ship at no.3.
She set a solid foundation alongside Georgia Redmayne, with a well-executed ramp shot the pick of her three boundaries as she moved to 27 off 27 balls.
However, her night then came to an abrupt end courtesy of a brilliant piece of fielding from Tammy Beaumont.
de Klerk set off for a single after cracking a cut shot to point, but the England star gathered and threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end with the South Africa youngster well short of her ground.
Unfortunately for the Heat, it would prove to be a turning point in the match.
Laura Kimmince rallied with a stunning cameo knock of 37 from 17 balls that included two fours and four sixes, but wickets continued to fall around her and when she was bowled by Samantha Bates in the 17th over, the contest was all but over.
Hannah Darlington mopped up the Heat’s tail to close out a 12-run win for the Thunder, who will face the Melbourne Stars in Saturday’s final