Heat beat Stars, Heat won by 18 runs (D/L method)

Chris Lynn is the Man of the Match: "It can get a bit tricky but I think we've all played enough rain-affected games. When it kept raining, it kept landing in our favor with the ball getting wet. We're starting to click as a unit. We haven't been great in the field this year so it's been a real sticking point for us and today is the standard for the rest of the tournament for us now."

11.44 pm DLS proves to have a major influence on the chase. Heat win by 18 runs in the calculation. But the final overs would have been approached far differently had the target been 116 instead of 130. Maxwell's Stars were negatively affected by being forced to use a sixth bowler for the 10th over in the first innings.

JohnT: "@Danish - the DLS run boost is not the reason Stars lost this game, it was Andre Fletcher scoring 15 runs off 13 balls during the Power Play !"

Certainly there's no excuse for the Stars bungling their batting strategy chasing once the reply was reduced to 10 overs. Have to get your best batsmen facing the most deliveries so the concept of a specialist opener really flies out the window. Pooran or Maxwell should have opened with Stoinis, Pooran if you buy into the left-right disruption method.

9.6

Bartlett to Gotch, 1 run

length ball on fourth stump, shovels this flat to mid-off, catch taken on his knees on the ring by Wildermuth. They're going to the third umpire for this, to decide the difference in one run to a win. The ball was bursting through his fingertips and may have been trapped. Not going to change the result either way. The umpire says it touched the turf so Gotch ends not out.

Henk: "As I said 115 would have been a close game with a great chasing effort. DLS took the result out of reach"

9.5

Bartlett to Larkin, 1 run

full length on off stump, slaps this to long-on.

9.4

Bartlett to Gotch, 1 run

waist high full toss, flubs this to long-on. Fortunate to not be called a no ball. Right on the belt line.

Mathematically the match is over. Larkin showed no urgency to come back on strike.

9.3

Bartlett to Larkin, 1 run

slower length ball on fourth stump, slaps this through midwicket for a single. They slow jog one.

Danish: "This scenario again proves why D/L needs overhauling..10 off the last over required turns in to 23 required for calculations way beyond most fans' understanding smh. "

9.2

•

Bartlett to Larkin, no run

slower wide yorker on fifth stump, on the money and Larkin can't get this away. Superb delivery in the moment.

9.1

1lb

Bartlett to Gotch, 1 leg bye

slower length ball into the pads at 124 kph, Gotch misses a heave to the leg side first ball and comes off the pads scampering a run.

Over9

23 runs

MS 106/5CRR: 11.77 RRR: 24.00

NCR Larkin 33 (13b 4x4 2x6)SE Gotch 0 (0b)

L Gregory1/29 (2)

That no ball was potentially monumental. Gave them an extra ball that arguably led to 5 bonus runs by the end of the over. Now suddenly a not insurmountable 23 needed off the final over. the DLS 14-run boost is now extremely significant.

8.6

Gregory to Larkin, FOUR runs

short and wide, carves this high over backward point.

8.5

Gregory to Larkin, 2 runs

short and wide, slaps this in front of point and they jog back for an easy second.

8.4

Gregory to Larkin, SIX runs

in the slot on the stumps, misfires on the attempted yorker and clubs this high over wide long-on.

8.4

1nb

Gregory to Larkin, (no ball)

yorker on the money beats the heave to the leg side in between his legs, but the umpire calls him for overstepping!

8.3

Gregory to Larkin, FOUR runs

full and wide, slaps this high over extra cover, just beats the sweeper to the rope.

8.2

Gregory to Larkin, 2 runs

that's arguably the best piece of fielding of the night and it winds up not being a catch, turning a six into a pair! Better than the Steketee relay earlier, Bryant leaps up and palms this back into play as he's falling over the rope at deep midwicket. Turns six into two. Marvelous!

8.1

Gregory to Larkin, FOUR runs

length ball outside off, carves this flat over cover.

Over8

17 runs, 1 wicket

MS 83/5CRR: 10.37 RRR: 23.50

NCR Larkin 11 (6b 1x4 1x6)SE Gotch 0 (0b)

MT Steketee3/25 (2)

7.6

Steketee to Larkin, 1 run

short and wide, cuts this into the ground to backward point.

7.5

Steketee to Larkin, SIX runs

another relay catch on the rope at deep midwicket but it looked like six live as Bryant seemed to clearly step beyond the rope before he flinged the ball back into play. Length ball heaved high and deep to the leg side. Bryant caught it as he was falling over the rope before backhand flicking to Bazley who was just five yards away. On the replays it's much closer. I think benefit of the doubt should go to the batsman. Seems that the last freeze frame shows his foot contacting the ground with the ball still in his hand. The TV comms are convinced the ball was out of his hand but I disagree, not that it matters at this stage.... third umpire has given it not out. Correct decision for me. ESPNcricinfo 1, TV 0!

7.4

•

Steketee to Larkin, no run

slower ball short on the stumps, through the pull shot way too early.

7.3

Steketee to Larkin, FOUR runs

full and wide, slices this very fine over the keeper through short third man to the rope.

7.2

Steketee to Cartwright, OUT

full length on fourth stump, heaves this a mile high to Bryant at deep midwicket. Far less adventurous than the Gregory catch earlier. Waits for this for ages before it comes down at waist height five yards in from the rope.

Hilton Cartwright c Bryant b Steketee 7 (3b 0x4 1x6) SR: 233.33

7.1

Steketee to Cartwright, SIX runs

length ball on off, steps forward and clocks this straight over the bowler and into the sightscreen.