Heat extend unbeaten run courtesy Brown, Walter and Kuhnemann
They were three ahead on DLS when rain forced the play to be called off
AAP
03-Jan-2024
Josh Brown's 31-ball 43 provided the early impetus in a rain-hit chase • Getty Images
Brisbane Heat 104 for 4 in 14.3 overs (Brown 43, Walter 23*, Dwarshuis 1-7) beat Sydney Sixers 141 for 8 (Philippe 41, Kuhnemann 2-19) by three runs (DLS method)
Big hits from English allrounder Paul Walter carried unbeaten leaders Brisbane Heat to a three-run win over the Sydney Sixers in a rain-affected top-of-the-table BBL clash in Coffs Harbour.
Chasing 142, rain interrupted the match with the Heat at 80 for 4 after 12 overs, two behind where they needed to be under the Duckworth Lewis system. Three overs were lost with the Heat then needing 44 off five overs in a revised target of 124 off 17.
Walter smashed a huge legside six off Tom Curran, the first ball after the break, and then whacked two fours in the first three balls of the only Power Surge over to lift the Heat to 104 for 4 three runs above the score required after 14.3 overs, when the second shower ended the game.
Heat moved four points ahead of the Sixers, who were second going into the game but had each of their two previous games end in a no result due to rain.
The Sixers were sloppy in the field early in the Heat innings dropping the dangerous Josh Brown on one and 36. The latter reprieve gifted to him by Curran came after the hard-hitting opener smashed successive sixes off spinner Todd Murphy later in the over.
The Heat were well placed at 60 for 1 in the eighth over, but Brown (43 off 31 balls) was then bowled by Stephen O'Keefe and they lost 3 for 12 before the rain arrived. Walter and Nathan McSweeney (22 not out off 25) put on 32 for the fifth wicket and made sure their team was in front when the rain returned.
Put in to bat, the second-placed Sixers struggled to score quickly on a slow pitch, finishing at 141 for 8. They struck six sixes, but just nine fours in their innings with Ben Dwarshuis taking 10 off the last two balls of the innings to lift them above 140. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann (2 for 19) bowled particularly well, claiming the first two wickets to fall.
A third-wicket stand of 47 between opener Josh Philippe (41 off 36 balls) and Moises Henriques (22 off 22) lifted the Sixers to 82 for 2 in the 13th over. But the Sixers lost a wicket in each of the next four overs as their innings declined, losing 6 for 39. Jack Edwards (22 off 15) and Dwarshuis (13 not out off 6) added some late substance. The Heat's bowling variety, execution and slick-fielding were instrumental in keeping the score down.