The Brisbane Heat have thrashed the Adelaide Strikers by 39 runs in their BBL game at Adelaide Oval.
Ben Duckett top-scored with 78 from just 47 balls as the Heat posted an imposing 7-208 at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
In reply, the Strikers made 8-169 and were never in the hunt after losing both opening batsmen in the initial nine balls.
Adelaide’s Jon Wells made a fighting 55 from 41 deliveries but the Strikers remain in the mire with just one win from five games.
But the Heat made a massive move up the ladder, jumping from seventh to fourth spot with their second win.
Duckett’s blazing knock was instrumental in the victory – he cracked ten fours and two sixes and featured in a superb partnership with Sam Heazlett (49 from 30 balls).
The pair added 114 runs in just under 11 overs before departing in consecutive balls from Adelaide’s star spinner Rashid Khan.
Rashid was denied his second BBL hat-trick and finished with 3-34 but the damage had been done by Duckett and Heazlett, who struck three sixes and three fours.
The pair cashed in after a rapid start – their partnership started at 3-74 after seven overs.
Opener Max Bryant made 32 from 20 deliveries before being Rashid’s first victim, caught on the midwicket boundary, while Wes Agar (2-39) and captain Peter Siddle (2-42) both took multiple wickets.
Adelaide’s run chase stumbled early.
Opener Matt Short smacked two sixes from the first two balls, a two from the next, and then feathered an edge to wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson from spinner Matt Kuhnemann (3-47).
And on the ninth ball of Adelaide’s innings, Jake Weatherald was bowled by paceman Mark Steketee (3-27) in a horror start for the home side.
Wells and Matthew Renshaw (22 from 23 balls) steadied, but after ten overs, the Strikers were 2-82 and well off the pace.
Renshaw was dismissed in the 12th over and Wells, who hit six fours and a six, was out in the 13th to sap all Adelaide momentum.
Tom Kelly made 27 from 22 balls and George Garton hit three sixes in his 19 from five deliveries but became Kuhnemann’s third victim, while Heat paceman James Bazley finished with 2-27.
© AAP
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