Brisbane Heat 166 for 9 (Billings 79, Bryant 46, Short 3-14, Agar 3-38) beat Adelaide Strikers 160 for 9 (Kelly 43, Steketee 4-34) by six runs

Brisbane Heat 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 Adelaide Strikers.

Undefeated Strikers 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.

But Billings fired the Heat to 166 for 9 after the home side won the bat flip, with the Strikers losing early wickets to be 38 for 4 before finishing their 20 overs just short.

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 took a wicket and gave up just four runs in the 19th over to put the game out of Adelaide's reach.

Mark Steketee was the most successful of the Heat bowlers with figures of 4 for 34 from his four overs.

Lynn, the face of the Heat franchise for 11 seasons, made 12 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.

In an eventful over, Lynn advanced down the wicket to the first ball he faced, which was one of three wides Neser bowled that over, played and missed twice and edged one past a diving second slip for four.

The visitors were in trouble at 14 for 2 when Matt Short went in the second over and worse was to come when Lynn was given out off the first ball of the fourth.

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

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