McGrath seals Strikers' win, keeps Heat winless

Brisbane Heat are staring down the barrel of the first winless season in WBBL history, after falling to a six-wicket defeat to Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval.

After Heat managed 149 for 9 batting first on Sunday, Strikers chased it down with two balls to spare to keep their finals hopes firmly alive.

Laura Wolvaardt anchored the innings with 49 off 45 balls in her last game before leaving for national duties, while opening partner Tammy Beaumont hit 64 from 40.

The English opener was explosive, belting Nadine de Klerk over the midwicket and long-on ropes and also jumping down the deck and lifting Charlie Knott over long-off.

And while Strikers almost looked like falling short in the chase when the equation got down to 14 from Knott's final over, Ellie Johnston and Tahlia McGrath got them home.

After a poor stretch, where they lost three games in a row, Strikers now sit fourth but could be overtaken by the Sydney Sixers later on Sunday.

Heat now look all but certain to collect their first wooden spoon in the competition's 11-season history.

Runners-up in the past two campaigns, Heat's only point this summer has come from a washed-out game against the Sixers on Friday.

Making matters worse for Heat will be the fact they lost Nicola Hancock to a hamstring injury, after she was stumped on the final ball of their innings.

Heat are already without captain Jess Jonassen (shoulder) and first-round draft pick Jemimah Rodrigues for the rest of the season.

Heat's innings never really got going, with de Klerk (25 from 13) and Hancock (22 from 8) the only batters to really fire.

McGrath took 3 for 27 for Strikers, while Elanor Larosa and Amanda-Jade Wellington took two wickets each.