Sydney Sixers 8 for 106 (Abbott 37 not out, Dwarshuis 23 not out, Wildermuth 2-18, Bazley 2-19) beat Brisbane Heat 105 (Wildermuth 27, Abbott 4-31, Dwarshuis 2-13, Kerr 2-18) by two wickets
Sean Abbott produced heroics with bat and ball while also taking a blinder of a catch as Sydney Sixers overcame a horror batting collapse to beat Brisbane Heat off the last ball on a bowler-friendly SCG deck.
Chasing just 106, Sixers were lurching at 8 for 47 and in serious danger of the lowest ever BBL score before Abbott capped his remarkable performance with a match-winning 37 not out punctuated by hitting the winning blow off the final ball.
He combined with Ben Dwarshuis in an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 59 to get two-time defending champions Sixers (6-1) over the line and inflict heartbreak to gallant Heat (2-5) whose season is at the crossroads.
Sixers collapse before Abbott's heroics
Sixers' hopes of an easy chase dissipated with the early wicket of Josh Philippe, who has been such a driving force for them this season, which triggered a horror show. It was jarring to see the otherwise composed Sixers look so shaky as they could not establish a partnership to steady the ship.
Moises Henriques was the only batter who seemed undaunted by the situation, but when he fell for 15 the unthinkable was unfolding. At 7 for 35 they were in serious danger of suffering the ignominy of the lowest ever BBL score of 57 before Abbott continued his remarkable game to fuel Sixers' momentum-shifting 30 runs in the power surge.
Suddenly, Sixers only needed a run a ball in the final four overs but, of course, this see-saw of a game went down to the wire. Sixers appeared home needing just two runs off the final over but were stymied by brilliant yorkers from Xavier Bartlett.
Needing one run to win off the final ball, fittingly, Abbott proved the hero with a flick through the in-field to trigger memorable celebrations in one of the best games of the season.
Inspired Heat fall short
Defending a low total, Heat, obviously, needed early wickets and they delivered on a pitch that appeared more akin to a Test deck.
The pumped-up Heat had their tails up and could sniff a stunning heist as their seamers bowled an immaculate line on a pitch favouring bowlers much more than is the norm in T20 cricket.
Offspinner Mujeeb ur Rahman joined in the party with the key wicket of Henriques as Heat gained a stranglehold. Jake Wildermuth proved an inspired x-factor with two wickets to seemingly snuff out any chance of a Sixers revival.
That was until Abbott counterattacked and Heat suddenly lost their nerve before Bartlett bowled a brilliant final over but it proved not enough.
Abbott can do no wrong
Renegades youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk appeared to have the catch of the tournament wrapped up after his leaping one-handed screamer against Adelaide Strikers earlier in the season. But he has serious competition after Abbott pulled off a jaw-dropping catch to leave Chris Lynn shell-shocked.
Unbelieeeeevable catch!!
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 29, 2021
Sean Abbott with one of the best you'll see #BBL11 pic.twitter.com/fbNmwu8odx
The belligerent Lynn appeared to have smoked a boundary through extra cover only for a soaring Abbott to somehow grasp the peach of a catch in the shadows as an unmoved Lynn could do little else but offer a wry grin.
It highlighted a fantastic performance from Abbott, who also claimed wickets with clever slower balls to dupe Tom Cooper and dangerous Ben Duckett.
His memorable night was only just starting.
Heat's batting struggles
In a desperate bid to turn around their season, Heat rejigged their batting order with skipper Jimmy Peirson taking on the burden by moving from No.6 to open in a direct swap with Max Bryant. It didn't work with Peirson holing out in the first over to trigger carnage for Heat, who lost three wickets in the four-over powerplay.
Lynn, the BBL's all-time leading run scorer, perhaps was unlucky to fall to an absolute stunner but his trademark pyrotechnics have been few and far between this season contributing to Heat's struggles.
The pressure fell on in-form Duckett, whose switch-hitting prowess stole the show last start against Melbourne Stars, and he unleashed his favoured shot early against Shadab Khan, who made his debut for Sixers. The English import had few worries against young legspinner Lloyd Pope as he started Heat's long road to recovery.
But he was bamboozled by Abbott as Heat were on the brink of embarrassment at 7 for 63 before Wildermuth nudged them into triple digits in an invaluable knock of 27.
Heat, however, will rue not being able to eke out a few more runs.
