Smriti Mandhana has equalled the record for the highest Women's Big Bash League score, but could not lift her Sydney Thunder into the finals.
She needed to hit a six off the last ball against the Melbourne Renegades in Mackay on Wednesday night to keep Sydney in the finals hunt, but could not get under the last delivery from India teammate Harmanpreet Kaur.
Mandhana's single off the last ball took her to 114 off 64, tying Ash Gardner's 2017 knock, although the Sydney Sixer reached the mark in 52 balls.
Mandhana's gallant innings included three sixes and 14 fours and left the Thunder needing 13 runs in the final over, but Kaur kept it to just eight.
Kaur was the hero with bat and ball for the Renegades, taking 1-27 off her four overs after belting 81 off 55 in the first innings.
Kaur moved into second spot on the run tally for the season with 390, behind Perth's Beth Mooney on 497, with Mandhana fourth on 348 and Jemimah Rodrigues the third Indian import in the top 10, with 295.
The four-run victory sent the Renegades back to the top of the ladder and dropped the Perth Scorchers back to second after a 12-run victory over the Adelaide Strikers earlier on Wednesday.
The Scorchers are right behind the Renegades after a 137-run opening partnership between captain Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney laid the platform for their win over the Strikers at Adelaide's Karen Rolton Oval.
Playing in her 100th WBBL game, Mooney (78) hit 10 fours as she and Devine (61) punished the Strikers' errant bowling attack to set a target of 177.
Katie Mack (84 not out) tried her best in the chase but it was not enough as the Strikers finished on 5-165.
ABC/AAP
