That wraps up all the BBL action from us today. Thank you for joining us for these past few hours of incredibly entertaining T20 cricket. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for our next game and for all the cricket action happening globally. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub, signing off on behalf of Ranjith P. Goodnight and goodbye!
joey: "MoM should have been given to Jack, or shared at the least. What was the difference between the two? Boundaries: same. Jack had a higher score, not out and a wicket !!!"
Jack Wildermuth: "I'm still in a bit of shock. Going into the sheds at halftime facing such a massive total was daunting, so sitting here after winning the game feels pretty surreal. This is honestly one of the best nights of my life, especially doing it in front of my home crowd, friends, and family. [Overcoming the First-Ball Blow] The plan was simple: we had to go at 13 an over, so we were going to have a crack at it regardless. When Munro fell on the first ball, I thought, oh no, but that actually freed me up. I just wanted to set up the first four overs to give us a start; I knew if we hit two boundaries an over, we could stay with the run rate. Matt [Renshaw] is a great player of spin, and being a left-hander, I knew he could target the short boundary from his end while I targeted it from the other. By the 10-over mark, I truly believed we were in with a real shot. We knew we could back-end the game even if we needed 12 an over for the final ten. [Opportunity and Preparation] Being out of the Big Bash for three years makes this opportunity at the top of the order mean the world to me. My preparation was unusual--I tore my hamstring twice in six weeks during Shield cricket, which actually gave me a chance to focus exclusively on my white-ball game leading into the season. After a tough night with the ball in our first game, this win provides immense confidence. We still need to review our bowling and find areas to improve, but I have no doubt we can go deep in this tournament."
Hassan Naeem: "Imagine scoring 100 not out and getting a wicket yet still not winning man of the match. Bit tough on Wildermuth "
Matthew: "Heat have absolutely SCORCHED Perth! Mitch Marsh must be shell-shocked. What an utterly insane chase."
Player of the Match, Matt Renshaw: "It feels unbelievable--a pinch-me moment with a lot of goosebumps. Most people probably counted us out, especially after losing a wicket on the first ball, but we maintained a never-say-die attitude. Jack deserves half the credit, probably more; I'll definitely be sharing this moment with him. [The Record Partnership] It was unique; we didn't actually talk much. The focus was simply on taking the right options and hitting the ball where it needed to go. Jack has worked so hard leading up to this, and he grabbed the opportunity of opening the batting with both hands. The message at the break was just to trust ourselves. Funnily enough, I hit the ball terribly in the indoor nets during the interval! We had some luck on our side, but knowing how well they batted gave us the confidence that the wicket was excellent and the target was achievable. T20 cricket is something I've always felt I could excel at, so it's enjoyable to produce a knock like this. I played a couple of poor shots, but I managed to find the middle of the bat when it mattered and exploited the matchups I wanted. [Pitch] The surface was nice, though it had some tennis ball bounce. When the first ball to Munro exploded, I was nervous walking out, thinking Jhye Richardson might rip my shoulder off! They are a world-class attack, but fortunately, it was just one of those nights where everything clicked for us. [Next Match] We need to carry this momentum into Monday. Some guys haven't had much to do in these first two games, but we'll need the whole squad--especially with concerns over a few injuries. Also, the mustache is definitely staying now!"
10:02 pm An incredible 515 runs were scored across both innings at the Gabba. Before a crowd of nearly 25,000, fans were treated to a batting display of the highest order. The chase began disastrously for the Heat as Colin Munro fell for a golden duck on the very first ball. With Nathan McSweeney ruled out due to injury, Matt Renshaw was promoted to number three, a move that turned the night into a historic one. Alongside Jack Wildermuth, the duo ignited the fireworks with massive sixes and boundaries across the park. Renshaw survived an early scare when he was caught at mid-on, only to be recalled because Jhye Richardson had overstepped. Wildermuth also had a life when Ashton Turner dropped a sitter at mid-on when he was on 42. The pair intensified the pressure after the drinks break, specifically targeting the shorter boundaries and taking 20 runs off an Ashton Agar over. Their magnificent 212-run partnership, built on grit and explosive stroke play, finally ended in the 16th over when Renshaw was run out for 102 off 51 balls. Wildermuth remained anchored until the end to ensure the victory, finishing with a staggering 110 runs off just 43 balls. Max Bryant provided late support with a brisk 28 off 16. It was a difficult night for the Scorchers' attack; aside from Cooper Connolly, every bowler proved expensive in the face of the Heat's relentless power hitting with the bat.
Brisbane Heat won by 8 wickets
Weibgen is the new batter in, at the non-striker's end now. 2 runs needed from 2 balls. The crowd is erupting in the stands.
M Bryant retired hurt 28 (25m 16b 4x4 0x6) SR: 175
Only two fielders are allowed outside the circle now due to the slow over rate. Deep midwicket and long on are in place.
Hardie to bowl the last over. 9 runs needed from 6 balls.
END OF OVER:19 | 10 Runs | BH: 249/2 (9 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 13.10, RRR: 9.00)
- Max Bryant24 (14b)
- Jack Wildermuth105 (51b)
- Joel Paris4-0-40-0
- Jhye Richardson4-0-49-1
