BBL08 Match 21: Mujeeb Spins Heat to First Victory of BBL08

The Scorchers BBL is officially in freefall following their fifth loss in six games, and this one at their new home ground would have been a bitter pill to swallow. Playing against the winless Heat team the home team would have hoped for a better return given they had their captain in Mitch Marsh back in the team, and having only missed the finals of the BBL competition once they are now well and truly under the pump if they are going to keep that record intact.

Outstanding once again was Mujeeb ur Raham who, on a wicket that is seen as a paceman’s delight, bowled four amazing overs for the figures of 2/10, which included two wides in his first over. The batsmen found him impossible to read and impossible to get away, and he completely bamboozled Michael Klinger, bowling a ball that came in a foot from outside the off stump to miss it by the smallest of margins before next delivery bowling the leg break that Klinger again didn’t pick and found himself stumped by a long margin. It was an amazing piece of bowling to the most experienced batsman in this competition. He also dismissed Marsh on his return in his spell. Mujeeb continues to be the Heat’s jewel, though he was supported by the pace and fire of James Pattinson whose return to top level cricket is gaining traction. He took 1/30 from his four overs, though he looked to have another wicket that was halfway to being given out by the umpire before he changed his mind. Pattinson was furious, and replays suggested he was right to be. Even though he went for some runs it was his speed and lengths that again lifted fans of the game, with the hope that he can continue his rise injury free back to higher honours as soon as possible.

The Scorchers total of 6/135 was nowhere near enough to challenge the Heat batting line up unless they could take wickets quickly, and even though wickets fell at regular intervals the required run rate never dropped low enough to cause the chase any problems. The top five all scored at a run a ball, and Ben Cutting gave the team some breathing space with his 26 off 16 deliveries that enabled the Heat to pass the score five wickets down with ten balls to spare. Nathan Coulter-Nile, who was apparently left out of the ODI squad because of back soreness, showed none of that as he took 3/25 from his four overs with good speed.

The Heat now join the Scorchers on one victory for the season but will feel as they are headed in the right direction, while the Scorchers are under the pump. They have the best fast bowling attack in the competition but have been let down by their batting all competition. With no one else to call on it becomes the responsibility of those in the team to improve their output if they are to recover from this downturn. Perhaps getting Ash Turner up to number three would be a start, after he once again top scored for the Scorchers with 47 runs off 30 deliveries. If he faces twice that many deliveries then a decent score could be achieved.