Adelaide pip Brisbane Heat in final-ball WBBL thriller

South African powerhouse Laura Wolvaardt has smacked a half-century in Adelaide's tense six-wicket WBBL win over battling Brisbane.

After the Heat posted 5-169, the Strikers nudged two leg byes from the final ball in a thriller at Adelaide's Karen Rolton Oval.

Wolvaardt set an ominous early tone with 51 from 33 balls in a decisive Tuesday night knock, while Bridget Patterson (32no from 22) played a cool hand in the frenetic finale.

The Strikers required 31 from the last three overs, an equation reduced to seven from Nadine de Clerk's final over.

With scores tied on the last ball, Patterson tried a leg-side flick, the ball hitting her pads and running to a vacant fine leg.

The Heat remain winless from six games while Adelaide logged a second win of the campaign.

Chasing the tricky total, Wolvaardt and opening partner Tammy Beaumont (51 from 33 deliveries) made early inroads.

The pair put on 92 before Wolvaardt fell in the 10th over. She'd struck 10 fours and was caught on the midwicket fence attempting another from the left-arm spin of Jonassen (1-36).

Tahlia McGrath (16 from 17) chimed in before Patterson's final flurry lifted the Strikers to victory.

Earlier, the Heat's innings was powered by Lauren Winfield-Hill (47 from 36 balls), Georgia Redmayne (36no from 20) and Jess Jonassen (37 from 35).

Winfield-Hill lost her opening partner Charlie Knott (11 from 14 balls) in the sixth over but attacked Adelaide's bowlers.

She struck a six, and six fours, and was on the cusp of a half-century when she missed a reverse swat and was out lbw to the spin of Jemma Barsby (1-13).

Winfield-Hill's exit left the Heat 2-87 after 11 overs and Jonassen continued the momentum until a late flourish.

Redmayne and de Klerk (25 from nine balls) produced cameos against a Strikers attack led by legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington (2-31) and Sophie Ecclestone (2-36).