BBL 2017/18 8th Match: Heat silence the Thunder in thrilling showdown

Posted on by
Joe Burns Alex Ross Brisbane Heat Sydney Thunder BBL cricket

Joe Burns and Alex Ross celebrate after leading the Brisbane Heat to victory

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Despite a tense chase that came down to the final over, the Brisbane Heat held their nerve to beat the Sydney Thunder by six wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

Opting to bat first, the Thunder lost opener Kurtis Patterson early on as he was dismissed by Josh Lalor for 11.

However, as soon as Patterson was removed, the rain came and the match was delayed for 25 minutes. This resulted in the game being reduced to 17 overs per side.

Jos Buttler, who opened the batting with Patterson, managed to make 23 before he was clean bowled by Shadab Khan.

However, Thunder captain Shane Watson and Callum Ferguson steadied the innings with a 60-run partnership, during which Watson brought up his fifty.

But, he was unable to make the most of it as he was caught by Joe Burns at long-off off the bowling of Shadab for 56, which came off 34 balls and included six boundaries and two sixes.

Ferguson went on to make a 26-ball 37, while Ben Rohrer smashed an unbeaten 16 as the Thunder finished on 149/4.

Lalor and Shadab picked up two wickets apiece.

Chasing 151 to win as a result of the DLS method, the Heat were dealt a big blow early on as skipper Brendon McCullum was clean bowled by New Zealand compatriot Mitchell McClenaghan for five runs.

Chris Lynn, who was making his comeback from an injury, blasted a nine-ball 25 before he was sent packing by Watson.

Jimmy Peirson and Burns steadied things with a 44-run partnership before Peirson fell to Arjun Nair for 43, which came off 39 balls and included four boundaries and a six.

Even though Ben Cutting fell shortly after, Burns and Alex Ross took the attack to the Thunder to inch the Heat ever closer to victory.

Heading into the final over, the Heat needed 10 runs to win. Despite failing to score on the first ball, Burns made up for it by smashing the next delivery for a massive six.

Only one run was scored off the next two balls, but Ross kept his composure and finished the game by hitting the penultimate ball of the match for a boundary, which came courtesy of a dropped catch by substitute fielder Aiden Blizzard.

Burns ended up making 45 off 35 balls, which included a boundary and a six, while Ross remained undefeated on 25 off nine deliveries, which included two boundaries and two sixes.

McClenaghan was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Watson and Nair claimed one wicket each.

Ross was named Man of the Match.

Leave a Reply