Heat beat Stars to keep finals hopes alive

Updated January 04, 2013 09:50:49

The Brisbane Heat weathered a Lasith Malinga onslaught before keeping their Big Bash finals hopes alive with a 24-run victory over the Melbourne Stars at the Gabba.

In a match where tempers frayed between Australian one-day teammates Clint McKay and Dan Christian, the Heat (5 for 171) ended the Stars' four-match winning streak with a spirited comeback on Thursday night.

Super slinger Malinga continued his destructive BBL form with an amazing 3-0 from his first 10 balls to have the home side staring at a sub-par total of 140.

But thanks largely to Shane Warne's rusty fielding and Chris Lynn's late-innings hitting, Brisbane set a respectable target which couldn't be reined in.

Dropped by Warne, his second embarrassing miss in the field, Lynn (26 not out) then helped peel off 17 runs off the final over by Malinga (3-26).

Heat skipper James Hopes followed his 49 with the bat to take 3 for 28 with the ball in a man-of-the-match performance which tormented the Stars' international-quality line-up.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera, in his last match for Brisbane, chimed in with 3 for 18 as the visitors were kept to 9-147.

A big crowd of 24,500 - the biggest of the season at the Gabba - lapped up the result which moves the Heat to fifth on the table with 3-3 record.

The Stars (4-2) remain in second place on eight points.

Emotions boiled over in the Heat innings when McKay and Christian engaged in a heated exchange, trading insults from close quarters, after the batsman prevented a run-out with his running line.

Warne, who won the toss and bowled first, showed his own lack of confidence in the field by calling Luke Wright to take a skied ball from Perera that landed where the 43-year-old had been standing.

Warne admitted the Stars let the home side off the hook following their impressive start.

"It was a little disappointing tonight in all three departments - our fielding and our bowling, we didn't quite get it right, and in our batting we lost wickets at crucial times," he said.

"Our last four overs went for 52 and 170 was a par score here as it was a really good wicket so we thought we could chase it down."

Hopes, who set the foundations with a two-paced 63-run second-wicket stand with surprise number three Chris Hartley, felt the Heat had some momentum after winning just one of their first four matches.

"It's a funny thing with our side, we tend to play our best when our backs are to the wall and we have to lose a few first to get on a winning streak," he said.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, brisbane-4000, melbourne-3000

First posted January 03, 2013 23:47:29

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Tigers keep Shield hopes alive

Updated February 10, 2012 06:30:37

Tasmania eased to victory by six wickets over New South Wales on the final day of the Sheffield Shield Clash at the Bellerive Oval.

The Tigers' win lifts them to third in the points table, four adrift of second-place Western Australia with three games remaining.

With the Blues beginning the day at 4 for 75, James Faulkner added to his three wickets of the previous evening by dismissing Peter Nevill for 10.

From this point onwards it was the Jackson Bird show as he took the wickets of Steve O'Keefe (35), Scott Coyte (17) and Sean Abbott (0) before Brendan Drew dismissed Trent Copeland, ending the New South Wales innings with Simon Katich unable to bat after being struck on the head on day two.

Chasing 147, Tasmania started well before losing the wicket of Steve Cazzulino (18) to Steve O'Keefe just before the half-century mark.

Ed Cowan perished for 39, bowled by Josh Lalor, and wickets kept tumbling but not until each player had made a contribution towards the meagre total.

Scott Coyte trapped Alex Doolan (22) leg before and Copeland bowled first inning centurion George Bailey (27).

Mark Cosgrove (25 not out) and Faulkner (8 not out) brought the Tigers home for a well-earned victory.

Tags: cricket, sport, tas, australia

First posted February 09, 2012 18:49:42

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Heat keep alive Big Bash hopes

Updated January 18, 2012 00:00:57

The Brisbane Heat are back from the dead in the Big Bash League thanks to a record 91-run Gabba thumping of the Sydney Thunder on Tuesday night.

Inspired by an unbeaten 75 by Dan Christian, the Heat blasted 4 for 195 and then kept the Thunder to 6 for 104 - the second worst total in the revamped competition.

After losing their first four matches, the last-placed Heat were given no chance of making the BBL semi-finals 12 days ago.

But three straight wins, topped off by Tuesday night's drubbing has resurrected Brisbane, which is now sitting in fourth spot on net run rate.

The Melbourne Stars (3-3) can retain fourth place if they beat the Adelaide Strikers (2-4) on Thursday night at the MCG but otherwise the Heat are in pole position.

The dominant victory was set up by scintillating batting effort after being sent in on a green, underprepared Gabba pitch following two days of rain.

While all-rounder Christian made it look like a batting paradise, the Heat's bowlers relished the conditions by ripping through the Thunder's top-order with the new ball.

Alister McDermott dismissed West Indies master blaster Chris Gayle for a golden duck and then had Tim Cruickshank caught behind for a rare double-wicket maiden.

Sorely missing captain and Test opener Dave Warner, the Thunder also struggled to get their run rate above four and were a beaten team at 5 for 34 in the 12th over.

The 91-run winning margin was easily bigger than the previous biggest of 67 by the Strikers against the Melbourne Renegades.

Brisbane also struggled against the new ball before Christian entered the fray at 2 for 14 and reeled off five fours and four sixes in his classy 48-ball knock.

He combined with captain Peter Forrest (33 off 27 balls) for an 80-run stand before young gun Chris Lynn (37 off 17) joined the party to put on 71 off the last 27 balls.

"We just had to get through that first part because the wicket had a little bit in it," said Christian, a T20 international, who was averaging a lowly 17 before the match.

"It's a little bit of a monkey off the back."

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted January 17, 2012 23:08:42

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