Another batting horror show in Sunday’s 44-run Big Bash League defeat to Melbourne Renegades has left Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn stunned.
The Heat appeared to be cruising to victory at the Gabba on Sunday as they charged to 0-84 inside six overs in reply to the Renegades’ 6-164.
They then lost 10-36 – the worst 10-wicket collapse in Big Bash history – to be bowled out for 120 off 15 overs.
The capitulation comes two days after Brisbane were rolled for 100 at Adelaide Oval in a 10-wicket defeat to the Strikers.
Lynn couldn’t have imagined how badly his team would unravel when he was dismissed for 41 off 15 deliveries and pulled no punches in his assessment of the display.
“I can’t really sugarcoat it, it was just a piss-poor effort. Another embarrassing effort,” he told the Seven Network.
“We’re doing all the right things in training but I don’t know what goes on out in the middle. We just seem to panic and then, it’s not just a wicket or two, it’s a trainwreck.”
The Heat’s collapse is the third time this summer their batting has imploded.
As well as the Strikers’ debacle, Brisbane were also reduced to 7-51 on their way to a 40-run loss to Perth Scorchers at Metricon Stadium on New Years’ Day.
Sunday’s performance was blasted by Lynn’s former teammate and ex-Heat captain Brendon McCullum, with the former New Zealand Test skipper on commentary duties during the collapse.
“You can not coach stupidity, and I’m sorry but what we’ve seen after the dismissal of Chris Lynn … has been out and out ridiculous batting,” McCullum said, while ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting labelled the displayed “one of the all-time great chokes”.
Defeat leaves Brisbane sixth on the ladder with three games left to play.
Lynn will be hoping the return of in-form Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne for Thursday’s home game against the Sydney Sixers can provide some starch to the Heat’s batting as they aim to sneak into the finals.
“Every player’s got to look in, not out,” Lynn said.
“We’re playing as a group of individuals and unless we change that we’re going to miss finals again which is not good enough.”
The Renegades win was their second of a difficult campaign with legspinner Cameron Boyce the star.
Boyce took 4-15 in a man-of-the-match performance including the prized wicket of South African legend AB de Villiers, clean bowled for two.
“I feel like I’ve been bowling really well most Big Bash, it’s just been one of those tournaments where a few things haven’t really gone our way and we’ve been a little bit unlucky as well,” he said.
“It’s awesome to get a little bit of reward for feeling like I’ve been bowling really well.”
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