BBL08 Match 15: Lynn Explodes But Sixers Team Performance Takes the Points

At the start of this competition the Heat were fancied by many to be one of the teams to beat while the Sixers looked to be short of what was required to make an impact. That made this game at that time look like an easy one to pick. Circumstances and results since more or less made it a 50/50 proposition, and it was going to need someone to stand up to make a difference. The one everyone has been waiting for to explode this season is Chris Lynn. Still, a team effort will almost always beat one man’s effort, and that was mostly proven once again this afternoon

After the Heat was sent in, Max Bryant played the first two overs of spin perfectly, waiting on the length and hitting through the line either straight or through point to hit boundary after boundary. The first two overs brought 32 runs and had the Heat off to the kind of start they have been looking for. Impetuous youth eventually brought about his downfall for 34 off 18 which was such a shame after the start he made. When he gets it all together he is going to make some big scores in this format of the game.

The Sixers bowling brought them back into the game as they hit the pitch and change the speed of the ball coming through, which did for most of the middle order. Heazlett, McCullum, Burns and Cutting could only contribute 14 runs from 28 deliveries through this period, and all four continue to underperform for the Heat. Steve O’Keefe went for 18 off his first over but only went for 1/12 off his next three. Joe Denly bowled two invaluable overs for 1/8. Dwarshuis (1/30) and Curran (3/25) both were excellent. At 5/101 off 14 overs it all fell at the feet of Chris Lynn, who with the help of being dropped on three occasions was able to cut loose. With the help of the vastly underrated Jimmy Peirson the two fashioned a partnership of 72 from 43 deliveries. Lynn was dismissed for a belligerent 84 off 55 balls with three fours and five sixes, while Peirson finished with 23 off 16. This got the Heat up to a competitive 7/164, but after their start the Sixers would have been happy with the effort.

The Sixers batting line up played the best tempo chase of the summer, willing to take their time in setting up the innings and taking the boundaries when they became available. Joe Denly missed out again, but North Sydney grade captain Justin Avendano had a terrific debut with 30 off 24 balls before he forgot to slide his bat and was run out when he was well in the crease. Hopefully he will get another chance to shine as he played extremely well.

Skipper Moises Henriques played a terrific hand, picking his bowlers and balls to dispatch to the boundary as well as running hard and getting a single almost every other ball. He scored 57 off 37 deliveries before holing out with four overs to go, leaving his team needing 44 off four overs for victory. From here it was the Sixers most consistent bat this season Jordan Silk to take over, and he along with Josh Philippe played superbly, hitting boundaries and stealing two’s against the hapless Heat bowling. Silk eventually fell for 46 off 25 balls, but Philippe (14 not out off 7) and Tom Curran (5 not out of 2) got the Sixers home with three balls to spare. 

The Heat still have trouble with their finishing bowling. Having bowled out both James Pattinson and Mujeeb Ur Raman, the Heat left Lalor and Swepson an over each for the end, and two overs for Ben Cutting, who once again showed he just isn’t suited to such a position. Because the Sixers had played their chase so well and kept wickets in hand as well as retaining momentum, it meant they were perfectly placed to go at 11 an over that they required for the final four overs. It means the Sixers are 3-2 compared to the Heat’s 0-3, and any pre-season hopes for the Heat are quickly evaporating in the Queensland humidity.