The Heat beat the Scorchers by 49 runs at The Gabba last night as Perth lost their first game of BBL7. Here are my five main takeaways.
1. Heat get their fourth win
The Brisbane Heat stamped themselves as premiership contenders with a thumping 49-run win over the Perth Scorchers at The Gabba last night.
The Heat’s high octane batting line-up fired once again as they mustered 6/191 before bowling the Scorchers out for just 142 to rack up their fourth win of the season.
The Heat moved to second on the table with this win, while Perth remain in first spot, despite dropping their first game from five played this season.
2. Bash brothers fire
The decision to promote Chris Lynn to open the batting has paid immediate dividends for the Heat, the side returning to their best form with two dominant victories against the Stars and Scorchers.
Lynn was destructive last night, pulverising 39 from just 20 balls, as he and McCullum put on 59 inside the Powerplay before Lynn was dismissed.
Sometimes, as a captain, you have to think about what the opposition don’t want you to do, and I’m sure opponents are far more worried about the Heat with the Bash Brothers opening together rather than having Jimmy Peirson doing the job with McCullum.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
3. Cutting cuts loose
When you are looking for teams that could potentially win a championship, you look for depth in their batting line up, and I don’t think there is a side deeper than the Brisbane Heat with the bat.
There would not be a more destructive and potential match-winning batsman better than Ben Cutting, who batting at No.6, and with 46 from 20 balls, last night swung the momentum of a game that Perth had wrestled themselves back into.
Cutting is particularly dangerous at The Gabba where he enjoys the extra pace and targets the shorter straight boundaries to full effect.
4. Doggett breakthrough performance
Brendan Doggett might not be the most economical seamer in the BBL, however he is an out-and-out strike bowler, and he proved that last night by taking 5/35 from his four overs.
Doggett will enjoy having a captain like McCullum who really emphasises taking wickets ahead of containing, and allowing players to bowl with freedom and not afraid to go for a few boundaries.
5. Perth to be tested once more
The Scorchers have done extremely well to get four wins from five games with somewhat of a makeshift side this season.
They are about to be further tested with key weapons in their attack, Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson, both being named in Australia’s ODI squad alongside Mitchell Marsh.
The Scorchers will get back Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft, which will be much needed for a batting order lacking class and depth in the middle order.
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