A batting masterclass from Colin Munro wasn’t sufficient for the Brisbane Heat as Daniel Sams starred throughout all three disciplines to encourage his Sydney Thunder to an exhilarating BBL victory, which included a controversial final-over transfer by the umpires.
Despite wickets tumbling round him at Metricon Stadium on Thursday, Munro nearly single-handedly stored the Heat within the contest on a moist Gold Coast evening, placing his crew right into a place the place it required 16 runs off the ultimate over. That equation quickly grew to become 14 runs off six balls after Sydney fast Nathan McAndrew was known as for a waist-high no-ball off the primary ball of the twentieth over.
But two balls later, the umpires opted to vary the moist Kookaburra for a dry ball – a transfer that left Australian legend Brett Lee fuming within the commentary field.
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McAndrew then bowled the arduous ball into the pitch and Munro heaved the ball into the leg-side, just for Sams to drag off an excellent catch within the deep and dismiss the Kiwi worldwide for a surprising innings of 98, which primarily killed off the Heat’s hopes of their second victory of the summer season.
McAndrew then dismissed Michael Neser and Matthew Kuhnemann to cap off his over and end with 4-31, handing the Thunder a hard-fought 11-run win.
“You can’t change a ball now, I’m sorry. I know it’s hard for the bowlers, but you’ve played 19.1 overs (with the same ball),” Lee advised Fox Cricket.
“I’m not convinced about the ball change – not in the last over.
“Very good from McAndrew. Definitely helps though with a ball you can hold onto … I don’t think it’s right.
Asked if he thought the bowling side was put at an advantage, Lee said: “Yeah I do.”
Sams’ heroics within the area got here after his beautiful 15-ball blitz with the bat earlier within the evening, whereas he additionally took 2-41 with the ball.
The Thunder recovered from a sluggish begin with the bat, smashing 86 runs from the final six overs of their innings to complete with 6-182 — their highest BBL rating of the summer season thus far.
Sams was the chief destroyer for the Thunder, smashing 4 sixes and two fours to stay unbeaten on 36 from 15 balls.
“He got his role right tonight, Sams,” Fox Cricket’s Brad Haddin stated.
“His biggest strength is his brute power. Tonight he gave himself a solid base and muscled the ball to the boundary. It was great power hitting.”
Heat paceman James Bazley was clearly the choose of the Brisbane bowlers, ending with 4-22. He bowled a disciplined closing over, taking the wickets of Alex Ross and McAndrew in consecutive deliveries to make sure the Heat wouldn’t push their complete past 181.
Star spinner Mitch Swepson was hopeful of pushing his case for a Test re-call however suffered a rolled ankle whereas warming up with teammates and limped from Metricon Stadium.
He was deemed match to play, however appeared ginger and struggled to grip the ball within the greasy situations, with Sams taking a specific liking to him.
Ollie Davies produced an almighty heave off Ross Whiteley and over the long-on boundary for six, with a fan’s crowd catch try nearly ending in catastrophe as he collided with the grandstand seats arduous.
The Thunder then continued their momentum with the ball, with Max Bryant out within the first over of the innings for simply 4 earlier than Matt Renshaw went for a duck due to a pointy catch by Chris Green off Sams’ bowling.
Renshaw initially held his floor after Green grasped the ball, earlier than Green put his finger as much as sign ‘out’ and pointed to the Heat dressing room in a cheeky suggestion of the place Renshaw would head subsequent.
“Ooh got to be careful there,” Haddin stated.
“I like his confidence Chris Green, but …”
Lee rapidly added: “They’re not robots … that’s fine.
Munro got going for the Heat late in the powerplay, smashing four fours and two sixes in a stunning two-over period.
“He’s playing on a different surface to all the other Heat batsmen tonight,” Haddin stated of Munro.
Bowler Green and keeper Matthew Gilkes then mixed beautifully, with Green deceiving Sam Billings in mid-air and permitting Gilkes to drag off an excellent stumping.
“This was outstanding keeping by Gilkes … that’s bounced a lot, he takes it at shoulder height … as keepers those are the ones you want,” Haddin stated.
Gilkes’ epic evening with the gloves continued a couple of overs later, pulling off a surprising one-handed diving catch to dismiss opposing keeper Jimmy Peirson off McAndrew’s bowling.
“What a night he’s having behind the stumps,” Haddin stated.
“He’s moved beautifully, right pace, what a dive, he’s rolled beautifully – take a bow!”
With the Heat slumping to 5-102, Munro continued to pile on the runs, passing 50 off 26 balls.
“That’s as good a 50 as you’ll see with carnage all around him. He’s barely mistimed a ball,” Haddin stated.
Munro discovered help from Bazley, who made 29 off 24 balls to assist the Heat to 5-150. But Thunder spinner Usman Qadir pulled out a terrific faster ship to entice Bazley in entrance LBW.
Munro pushed into the 90s as he and Michael Neser took 12 runs off the penultimate over to arrange an exhilarating end.
But the Thunder prevailed — maybe with a bit of little bit of assist from a dry ball.
Originally printed as ‘I don’t suppose it’s proper’: Lee shocked by final-over transfer in controversial end to tight Thunder win
