Heat snap BBL streak, stun Lynn’s Strikers

Jason Phelan | December 23, 2022

The Brisbane Heat have ruined former favourite son Chris Lynn’s return to the Gabba, a Sam Billings half-century helping the home side to an upset six-run win over the Adelaide Strikers.

Undefeated Adelaide sat atop the BBL table with three wins going into Friday night’s clash against the last-placed Heat, who had lost their opening two games of the season following on from a six-game losing streak to end their last campaign.

Wickets fell regularly around him, but Billings (79) fired the Heat to 9-166 after the home side won the bat flip, with the Strikers losing early wickets to be 4-38 before finishing their 20 overs at 9-160.

“We didn’t play very well, let’s be honest, but we managed to get the win and that’s what the best sides do,” Billings said.

“We’ll take a lot of confidence from that, but we know that we can be so much better in all three facets of the game.

“We’ve got to be way better than that if we want to be in serious contention.”

Colin de Grandhomme (37) and Thomas Kelly shared a 73-run partnership, Kelly making a career-high 43 off 33 balls, and some lusty late hitting from Harry Nielsen (24) saw the visitors needing 32 runs from the final three overs.

But Michael Neser (2-23 from four overs) took a wicket and gave up just four runs in the 19th over to put the game out of Adelaide’s reach.

“Colin and I really needed to be the men to get the job done there,” Kelly said.

“It’s the first time we’ve been in some serious trouble like that this season, but I think we can take confidence that we’ve got batting all the way down the order.

“We’ll shake this off pretty quickly.”

Mark Steketee was the best of the Heat bowlers with figures of 4-34 from his four overs.

Lynn, the face of the Heat franchise for 11 seasons, made 12 runs before he was given out lbw in contentious circumstances in the first meeting against his old side.

The all-time BBL leading run-scorer strode to the crease in the first over after Neser trapped Jake Weatherald in front with the first ball of the innings.

The visitors were in trouble at 2-14 when Golden Bat leader Matt Short (three) went in the second over and worse was to come when Lynn was given out off the first ball of the fourth.

The Strikers were left to rue a wasteful DRS challenge by Weatherald that was unsuccessful, which meant Lynn was unable to review his decision, with replays showing the ball clearly going over the stumps.

Earlier, Billings, who was dropped on 22 and 42, bludgeoned 27 runs, including three sixes, off the 19th over bowled by Peter Siddle.

He eventually departed for 79 off 48 deliveries, his innings including six fours and four sixes.

Max Bryant was the next-best batter for the Heat, with his 46 runs including eight fours.

Short missed out with the bat, but claimed career-best figures of 3-14 from his three overs of offspin.

Quick Henry Thornton, the BBL’s current leading wicket-taker, finished with 1-37 to take his season tally to 12.