BBL 15: Sydney Thunder blown away by Lynn-sanity as Brisbane Heat get off the mark
Chris Lynn’s third-consecutive Big Bash League fifty ensured that Brisbane Heat got their maiden win of the season, over Sydney Thunder at the Gabba. Chasing 187, Heat got off to a good start, but after two quick wickets, Lynn’s 32-ball 75 helped the hosts reach the target with three balls to spare.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, Heat removed both openers inside the powerplay, but Shane Watson and Michael Hussey added 97 runs for the third wicket and cameos at the end by Andre Russell and Ben Rohrer got Thunder to 186, but due to Lynn’s heroics, that wasn’t enough.
Jacques Kallis and Aiden Blizzard got the visitors off to a solid start before both fell in the space of five deliveries and left new batsmen at the crease. With over 300 T20 matches between them, Hussey and Watson weren’t short on experience and they made it count as they took their side from a spot of bother to a comfortable position.
Watson was the dominant partner of the partnership as he smashed five sixes in his 46. His vigil finally ended when he was caught in the deep, trying to accelerate in the 16th over. But Hussey remained and got to his fifty before he was caught behind.
Russell and Rohrer then added 42 runs in the last three overs, to help the visitors get a challenging 186. If Heat needed to get their first win on the board, they needed a good start from their openers and that is precisely what they got.
Thunder, who were hampered by the loss of Kallis, who didn’t take to the field in the second innings, weren’t in the game once Lynn came out and started smoking the ball. But even before the Heat skipper came onto the field, they had already added 72 in nine overs and were on the right course.
Craig Simmons, who added 34 was the first to depart and although Lynn scored just one run off his first four balls, when he was finally dismissed, he had a strike rate in excess of 230 and had smashed six sixes and six fours.
Although he fell with the target just one hit, Ben Cutting ensured that Heat got off the mark for the season and consigned Thunder to their second loss of the season.
Brief scores: Sydney Thunder 186/5 in 20 overs (Hussey 56, Badree 26/1) lost to Brisbane Heat 189/4 (Lynn 75, Russell 28/2)