CRUSHED IT! Bancroft, Hardie blitz Heat into submission

A brand new-look Perth Scorchers reclaimed their place atop the Big Bash after a seven-wicket thrashing of Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium, negating an early batting onslaught earlier than Cameron Bancroft and Aaron Hardie produced their very own fireworks.

After trying set for a 200-plus rating after they had been 0-81 within the eighth over, the Heat posted 8-171 – a average complete which Bancroft and Hardie made look sub-par throughout their game-defining 111-run stand in simply 65 balls.

The residence facet did a implausible job pegging their goal again due to all-time main wicket-taker Andrew Tye (3-37 off 4), returning Test fast Lance Morris (2-40 off 4) and fellow seamer Matthew Kelly (2-28 off 4) and a few first-class outfield catching in entrance of 28,029 followers.

In reply, promoted Willetton teammates Bancroft (76no off 48 balls) and Hardie (57 off 33) made probably the most of their promotions after the early lack of debutant Stephen Eskinazi (one) to assist the Scorchers get residence with 21 balls to spare.

The returning Hardie, who was one 4 modifications for the Scorchers together with Morris who got here again sooner than anticipated, wasn’t in a position to bowl due to a quad situation however made up for it with the bat, citing his half-century in 29 balls which was one faster than his associate in crime.

It took a run out from the deep by Englishman Sam Billings to finish birthday boy Hardie’s innings, with the 24-year-old marginally wanting his floor on the non-striker’s finish.

Josh Inglis (six off 4) got here and went early earlier than captain Ashton Turner (23no off 12) completed the job alongside Bancroft.

Turner gained the toss and despatched the Heat in, one thing he might have thought twice about when openers Colin Munro (45 off 26) and Josh Brown (34 off 21) belted 50 with out loss from the facility play.

The pair put Kelly, Jason Behrendorff and Morris to the sword early with injured speedster Jhye Richardson’s consistency sorely missed.

Colin Munro of the Heat bats throughout the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Perth Scorchers and the Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium, on January 07, 2023, in Perth, Australia. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Turner then introduced himself and fellow spinner, teenage first-gamer Cooper Connolly, on and dropped a return catch when Brown was on 24 earlier than Tye obtained the breakthrough within the eighth over with Eskinazi taking the catch within the deep.

All of a sudden 0-81 rapidly grew to become 3-90 by the mid-innings drinks break with the Heat struggling a mini-collapse of 3-9.

Munro hit one straight to Connolly on the boundary off Morris 5 wanting his half-century and Nathan McSweeney (six off six) adopted after a miscued attacking stroke subsequent over off Kelly.

Billings (27 off 23) and gloveman Jimmy Peirson (23 off 19) obtained issues again on monitor however the latter’s dismissal, the results of an absolute screamer from Bancroft off Morris, sparked one other collapse of 5-14 together with three within the ultimate over.

Lance Morris of the Scorchers bowls throughout the Men’s Big Bash League match between the Perth Scorchers and the Brisbane Heat at Optus Stadium, on January 07, 2023, in Perth, Australia. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Billings additionally departed from a pointy outfield catch with Nick Hobson snaffling one overhead operating backwards off Behrendorff.

The Scorchers now have a one-point lead atop the ladder with one recreation in hand, whereas Heat conflict once more on the Gabba on Wednesday.

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