BBL 2018/19 53rd Match: Cutting, Bryant demolish Stars to keep Heat’s semi-final hopes alive

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Ben Cutting 81 Max Bryant 71 Brisbane Heat Melbourne Stars Big Bash League BBL 53rd Match cricket

Ben Cutting (left) and Max Bryant absolutely annihilated the Melbourne Stars

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Ben Cutting and Max Bryant smashed 81 not out and an unbeaten 71 as the Brisbane Heat pummeled the Melbourne Stars by 10 wickets.

Cutting and Bryant’s 158-run partnership also kept the Heat’s semi-final hopes alive.

Choosing to bowl first, the Heat got an early breakthrough as Stars opener Ben Dunk was caught by Cutting at mid-off off the bowling of Matt Renshaw for 14 runs.

Peter Handscomb, captain Glenn Maxwell and Nic Maddinson fell shortly after, but Marcus Stoinis and Seb Gotch kept the Heat at bay with a 44-run partnership.

Gotch ended up being dismissed by Jack Prestwidge for 11, while Stoinis, who opened the batting for the Stars, went on to score a 51-ball 81, which included seven boundaries and two sixes.

Jackson Bird was sent packing for three runs, but Dwayne Bravo smashed a quickfire 21 to help the Stars finish on 156/8.

Josh Lalor was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Renshaw, Prestwidge and Mitchell Swepson chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Chasing 157 to win, Cutting and Bryant finished things off by themselves as they put together an unbeaten 158-run partnership in just 10 overs.

Cutting and Bryant both raced past their fifties during the entertaining stand.

Despite doing their best to break the partnership, the Stars failed to hold on to catches in the field and thus could do nothing but watch as the duo went about their business and helped the Heat cruise to victory.

Cutting finished on 81, which came off 30 balls and included four boundaries and eight sixes, while Bryant remained undefeated on 71, which came off 30 deliveries and included six boundaries and five sixes.

Cutting was named Man of the Match.

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