Mahmood blitz sets up Thunder BBL win
|
Saqib Mahmood made Big Bash League history before the Brisbane Heat’s tail saved some face and the Sydney Thunder won by 53 runs at the Gabba.
On debut for the Thunder, English quick Mahmood (4-22) became the first man in the BBL and only the 10th person in Twenty20 cricket anywhere in the world to take four wickets inside the first three overs of an innings.
Mahmood couldn’t believe his luck when Jimmy Peirson clipped one to deep fine leg, giving him 4-9 from just 11 balls after his first delivery was sent to the boundary by Chris Lynn.
Lynn, Ben Duckett and Sam Heazlett all fell though, chipping simple catches as the chase of the Thunder’s 7-196 looked all but over.
A horror Max Bryant run-out added to the Heat’s misery, the hosts sinking to 5-15 inside the first three overs, before bowlers Xavier Bartlett (42no off 29 balls) and Mark Steketee (33 off 24) combined for a BBL record 79-run eighth wicket stand.
That pair’s partnership came too late for the Heat to even salvage the Bash Boost point, Steketee eventually falling just as a miracle comeback victory was being entertained.
Tanveer Sangha (3-26) took his season tally to a BBL-high eight wickets as the Heat were bowled out for 143 in the 18th over.
“When you come to a new side you want to get off to a good start and last night I was thinking about all the different scenarios,” Mahmood told Fox Cricket.
“And getting a wicket early doors .. it all seemed to come together.”
The 24-year-old has played seven ODIs and nine T20 internationals for England and is hoping his exposure to the BBL helps his cause ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
Sam Billings (64 off 27) had earlier powered the Thunder’s innings, the English wicketkeeper hitting five sixes and five fours combining regulation and reverse sweeps off pace and spin.
His innings came after Alex Hales (35 off 26) and Jason Sangha (39 off 28) had set the tone, leaving the Heat a huge chase if they were to win a second straight game.
It could have been an even steeper task if not for Swepson (2-27 from four overs), the fringe Australian spinner bowling Sangha around his legs.
Bartlett also took two wickets but went for 45 from his four overs, while Steketee also grabbed two wickets on his return from national duties.
Tom Cooper, who made a crisp 32 off 18 balls, entered the game as the Heat’s X-factor sub, in for Tom Abell after the English recruit jammed his hip while attempting an outfield catch in the second over.
“We felt we were in the game there for a little bit, but it’s pretty hard to win a game from 5-15,” Steketee said.
“It’s not how we want to keep playing; we’ve addressed it (starting seasons poorly) but we’re just missing something there at the start of the season.”