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BBL06: The big winners and losers from the moving block

Chris Lynn of the Heat raises his bat after defeating the Hobart Hurricanes during the Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes at the Gabba in Brisbane, Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Expert
8th January, 2017
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It wasn’t quite the championship block of games, but it was an important block for a number of teams as they made their move heading into the last 12 games before the semis.

After the last block of games, the Melbourne Stars were sixth. They’re now fourth. The Heat and Scorchers have swapped spots at the top, while Hobart have slipped from fifth to seventh and look vulnerable. Interestingly, there’s now five teams equal on two wins.

Thursday: Perth Scorchers 6/173 lost to Brisbane Heat 1/174 at the WACA, Perth

What I really liked about the Scorchers line-up this year was a strong batting order that melded well into the all-rounders. So if Shaun Marsh doesn’t get going, Michael Klinger can. And if Ian Bell misses out, then Adam Voges or Mitch Marsh can hook in. And that’s before the likes of the two Ashtons, Turner and Agar, need to come in. It’s a well-balanced batting order.

After becoming only the third team in BBL06 to win the toss and bat, Klinger and Bell didn’t get going, but the Marshes did – Shaun with 32 and Mitch with 71 from 41 balls – and the pair added a handy third-wicket partnership before Mitch really teed off toward the end.

With the Ashtons coming in in the middle, it meant David Willey is back at no.8 where he belongs. 173 felt like a good score, and historically, it doesn’t get chased down at the WACA.

Or it didn’t. Brisbane started quickly through Jimmy Pierson (18 from 9 balls) and Brendon McCullum (50* from 31), but both of their handy contributions were left on the cutting room floor as yet another ‘Lynnsanity’ highlights package was knocked out.

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He could’ve got crafty and found a way of winning the game and bringing up his hundred, but instead Chris Lynn just won the game and finished 98* from 49. And with five overs to spare. McCullum even broke a bat in a way that would normally invoke large replay numbers, but everyone’s forgotten that by now.

Stat of the match: Lynn’s 11 sixes equalled the BBL record of most maximums in an innings, joining Chris Gayle and Craig Simmons way back in BBL01 and BBL03 respectively.

Unanswerable question: Surely Lynn can’t be left out of the Australian limited overs sides, can he? Also, is Mitchell Marsh’ 211 runs in five BBL06 matches (plus a few wickets) enough for a national recall?

(Update – questions answered: No, and Yes.)

Friday: Hobart Hurricanes 8/161 lost to Adelaide Strikers 5/164 at the Adelaide Oval

It was more mild zephyr than hurricane as Hobart’s top order slumped to 5/30 in the sixth over after being sent in. Jonathan Wells (55) and Beau Webster (67*) added a very handy 89 for the sixth wicket, almost certainly saving the Hurricanes a purple blush. Ben Laughlin broke through for the Strikers with a couple of late wickets and English quick Chris Jordan took a third, before Hobart ultimately reached a surprising 161.

A week after having an enjoyable time teeing off on former teammates, Ben Dunk again reminded the Hurricanes of their stupidity in trading him away, peeling off a 49-ball 79* to win the game single-handedly. For the record, the other player in said trade, Hurricanes all-rounder Hamish Kingston, finished with 1/32 from his three overs. Brad Hodge made another handy 30 as the Strikers cruised comfortably to their second win of BBL06.

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Stat of the match: Webster’s 67* was – apparently – the highest score made by a no.7 in the history of the Big Bash League.

Unanswerable question: Who keeps track of these kind of stats?

Saturday: Melbourne Stars 7/200 beat Melbourne Stars 9/154 at Docklands, Melbourne

It was the Rob Quiney and Kevin Pietersen show under the roof at Docklands, while the roof was a good couple of inches lower, too, because of the weight of two 93 square metre ‘Jumbotron’ screens hanging from the roof trusses. Thankfully, no screens were harmed in the slogfest, mainly because no-one top edges anymore.

Partnerships were the key to the Stars posting the first score of 200 in Melbourne in BBL06, with Quiney and Pietersen adding 66 for the second wicket and Pietersen and Glenn Maxwell adding another 65 for the third. David Hussey hooked in with the tail, too, as green-Melbourne set red-Melbourne a target that hadn’t been chased down at Docklands in the last four seasons at least.

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And partnerships would’ve been the key in red-Melbourne’s chase, too, had they managed to build any. Aaron Finch and Sunil Narine put on 30 for the first wicket, and the partnerships only shrunk further as the innings went on.

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The Renegades were completely outplayed in this game and probably should’ve been beaten by more than 46 runs. And they certainly shouldn’t have seen out the last over like they did!

Melbourne derbies go 1-1 for BBL06.

Stat of the match: The 44,189 people in under the roof was the Renegades’ biggest ever BBL home crowd.

Sunday: Hobart Hurricanes 8/161 lost to Sydney Thunder 4/162 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

No team has won batting first at Bellerive this season, and the Thunder did a good job of ensuring the home side wouldn’t be the first to do it, taking the wind right out of their sails in sinking them to 2/10 after nine balls.

Ben McDermott (31) got going on debut, and then George Bailey (69*) took his ODI axing out on the Thunder bowlers, combining well with Jonathan Wells (26) to push the Hurricanes out to a handy total.

With their season on the line, green-Sydney needed to start their chase well, and start well they did. New England import James Vince impressed on debut, prompting the Thunder to find their inner south-coast cockney…

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Vince (44) and Kurtis Patterson (23) added 62 for the first wicket, and Vince and Shane Watson (55) kept things ticking along too, before Ben Rohrer (28*) finished off the comfortable win in the 17th over.

Stat of the match: West Indian all-rounder and World Twenty20 hero Carlos Brathwaite took two wickets on debut, which was two fewer than the number of (groan) ‘dabs’ he did after taking said wickets…

BBL06 table after Game 20:

HEAT 8, SCORCHERS 6, SIXERS 6, STARS 4; Renegades 4, Strikers 4, Hurricanes 4, Thunder 4.

Next block of games:

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Monday – Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades, SCG
Tuesday – Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers, MCG
Wednesday – Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers return leg; the ‘Gabba, Brisbane
Thursday – Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes; Docklands, Melbourne

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