Chaudhary's fifty in vain for Hurricanes as Heat win thriller
Heat moved to 14 points with the win and are now assured of a finals berth
Heat moved to 14 points with the win and are now assured of a finals berth
Scorer: K Vairavan | Commentator: Shashwat Kumar
9:50pm A game that ebbed, flowed and ultimately ended in the Brisbane Heat's favour - a sort of game that both teams might look back on as defining, irrespective of what further twists and turns their campaign takes. Hope you enjoyed our coverage just as much as we loved bringing it to you. Until next time, this is goodbye from Vairavan and me (Shashwat). Take care, folks!
Xavier Bartlett, Player of the Match: It was an unbelievable game. The crowd here was unbelievable, the loudest it has been. We were just trying to take wickets. Any of their top seven batters could have won the game, hence wickets were the key. (On the hat-trick ball) It is a funny one. You are trying to bowl your best ball. Good to contribute to a win tonight. (On the conditions) There was some swing out there. The drizzle quickened up the wicket.
9:43pm Phew. What a game that was. Nikhil Chaudhary, playing his debut season in the BBL, almost pulled off the unthinkable for the Hurricanes. When he walked in, the visitors were tottering at 22-4. Chaudhary, though, fought fire with fire, putting pressure on the bowlers whenever he could. He kept at it once David departed but right at the end, he perished, leaving the Hurricanes with five to get off three balls. Ellis and Dooley could only combine for three runs off those three balls, meaning that the Heat ultimately got past the finish line.
The Brisbane Heat will be pleased with how they bowled, and how they responded to pressure. Their new-ball bowling was just exceptional, and it rocked the Hurricanes early. There was a phase where David and Chaudhary got on top of them, but they roared back right at the death, defending 35 off the last four overs, despite David and Chaudhary being at the crease. Bartlett was superb, as was Johnson. Neser and Kuhnemann also bowled tidily, while Walter did just enough to prevent the Hurricanes from making it three wins out of three.
PG Dooley run out 1 (7m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
A few words between Dooley and Walter because the former thought Walter got in his way while running. Three needed off the final ball. Two for a tie
The fine leg boundary is very short. Is a scoop on the cards?
Captain Ellis walks out. The Hurricanes need 5 off 3. Mid off, extra cover, backward point and short third man in the ring
N Chaudhary c †Billings b Walter 55 (55m 38b 4x4 2x6) SR: 144.73
Vinod Rajpal: "This will be a TIE....mark my words !"
The Hurricanes still need 13, and looks like Chaudhary will have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Walter to bowl the final over. Around the wicket to Chaudhary - here e go!
Heat moved to 14 points with the win and are now assured of a finals berth