Defending champions the Adelaide Strikers have kicked off BBL 08 with a solid victory over the Brisbane Heat, defeating the home side by five wickets at the Gabba.
An explosive start from Chris Lynn (33 off 20 balls) couldn’t be capitalised on as the Heat collapsed to all out for 146.
Adelaide wicketkeeper Alex Carey was the star of the night, plundering 70 from 46 balls from the top of the order to clear up the bulk of the chase. A late charge from Heat bowlers Mitchell Swepson and James Pattinson brought the visitors to five wickets down, but there was never much doubt in their charge to victory as they sealed the deal with five balls to spare.
Carey bites the dust
Alex Carey almost looked good for a century before Mitchell Swepson found some purchase.
The Brisbane leg-spinner — who is heavily endorsed by Shane Warne as a future Aussie star — beat the Strikers batsman with flight and clean bowled him for 70 (46 balls) in the 14th over.
The wicket threw a tiny spanner in the works for the defending champions with 39 runs left for victory and two fresh batsmen at the crease.
Jake Lehmann fell shortly after, blasting a cut shot off Ben Cutting to a diving Mitchell Swepson, bringing Michael Neser to the crease to see out the run chase with Johnathan Wells.
Heat bounce back after Strikers’ solid start
The Adelaide Strikers proved why they’re the best in the business in the second innings, expertly playing through the new ball and building a strong start in their chase-down of Brisbane’s 146 total.
Jake Weatherald and Alex Carey bludgeoned the ball for six overs before the latter fell to part-timer Joe Burns after paddling and easy catch to James Pattinson at short fine leg.
He fell for 17 off 13 balls and brought skipper Colin Ingram to the crease, who lasted just two deliveries before launching a ball off Pattinson down the throat of Sam Heazlett at deep square leg.
Alex Carey brought up his half-century shortly after and began to single-handedly run away with the game, but the Heat weren’t buried yet.
A loose shot from Matthew Short — who was until then playing the perfect support role in the run chase — brought Brisbane back into the game as they disrupted the momentum. Pattinson was the bowler, taking his second for the night as the home side’s standout bowler.
‘Gilly erupts at shambles: ‘This is farcical’
James Pattinson was caught in a shambles.Source:Supplied
It took all of an hour before the BBL found itself in a controversy.
Heat tailender James Pattinson was wrongly given out by the third umpire after safely making his ground in a run-out shout.
Ricky Ponting was adamant the umpire had “pushed the wrong button”.
The match was stalled as the crowd went up in arms. Heat captain Chris Lynn was seen in conversation with officials as umpires rushed to replay and review the decision.
“That has shocked everyone,” Adam Gilchrist said. “This is farcical now, someone has to make a decision.”
Pattinson started to walk off the field, prompting a chorus of boos from the Brisbane crowd, but the former Aussie Test quick wasn’t on his way for long and returned after getting the green light from the umpire.
Strikers keeper Alex Carey revealed Adelaide captain Colin Ingram told the umpire he acknowledged Pattinson was in and urged to allow him to stay in.
What an embarrassment for the @BBL on the first night of its extended season. Absolute shambles here. No one knows what’s going on. #BBL08
— Travis Meyn (@travismeyn) December 19, 2018
Heat fall like flies
Joe Burns was looking solid on his way to 20 off 18 balls but fell victim to one of the worst deliveries put down by Billy Stanlake in the towering fast bowler’s spell.
Burns tried pulling a short, wide ball down leg side but found Jake Weatherald in the deep, bringing Sam Heazlett to the crease.
Then Max Bryant fell victim to the Strikers.
Adelaide spinner Matthew Short tempted the 19-year-old into dancing down the wicket and forced a miss-timed shot into the hands of Rashid Khan on the off-side.
Heazlett fell shortly after Short after trying to step across the line of a ball from Ben Laughlin and found his leg stump bowled.
Heat lose McCullum, Lynn tees off
Former skipper Brendon McCullum dispatched the first ball of the innings over the top of the fielders in close and watched as it raced away to the boundary.
Full of adrenaline, he then slashed wildly at the next delivery, only to send it straight up into the Brisbane sky.
Billy Stanlake claims the first wicket of the Big Bash season.
Chris Lynn, on the other hand, was on fire. The Heat skipper blasted the first six of the tournament off Australian seamer Billy Stanlake via a front foot pull shot over mid-wicket.
“Cop that, Billy,” Michael Slater said as the ball soared to the upper deck.
WHACK! @lynny50 puts one into the second level! #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/PUohaETCZ4
— 7 Cricket (@7Cricket) December 19, 2018
It didn’t take long before Lynn found a fielder, though.
After plundering 33 off 20 balls, Lynn tried launching Peter Siddle over long-on but fished out Michael Neser, leaving the Heat at 2-50 after 5.2 overs.
BBL, what on Earth are you doing?
The Big Bash season officially kicked off with a piece of innovation not seen since the world’s first bread slicing machine: a bat toss.
Instead of labourously pulling out a fifty cent piece each game, the competition enlisted cricket gear manufacturer Kookaburra to specially design a bat to flip for the season.
The Strikers won cricket’s inaugural bat toss and elected to bowl at the Heat.
“For me it’s a great moment which reflects what BBL is about,” Cricket Australia’s head of the Big Bash League Kim McConnie told the ABC this week.
“Some people don’t like change but I’d also challenge people to say when was the last time anyone watched the coin toss or really focused on it to a great extent?
“Now we are making it much more relevant to families, we are creating a moment which is much more fitting with kids.”
The shake-up immediately stirred up a storm on social media with some fans going for the jugular and others defending the playful stunt.
Who thought of this bat flip toss monstrosity? #BBL08 https://t.co/oCcIjHC2K7
— Aashrey (@aashrey_) December 19, 2018
The bat toss a new low for cricket . Never known a sport so keen to destroy itself. #shambles
— phill 🐺🏏🐂⚽️🐯🏈🥊 (@foxyphill) December 19, 2018
I still remember in our youth playing street cricket we always use this Bat Flip for toss. This methods is not only innovative but also a good approach to our old association with Cricket. #cbhaveyoursay
— Yasir Amin (@trashions) December 19, 2018
Lynn’s ominous warning to BBL rival
It will be on for young and old when the Brisbane Heat unleash their new-look batting line-up in their Big Bash League opener against Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba.
Heat captain Chris Lynn tipped 19-year-old Max Bryant to be inspired by “old boy” Brendon McCullum and tee off against the defending BBL champions on Wednesday night.
Bryant has been welcomed into the Heat top three this summer by Lynn and former Black Caps star McCullum as a fellow “Bash Brother” after announcing his arrival in the recent domestic one-day tournament.
The teenager thrashed a half century against South Australia off 23 balls — the fastest in Queensland Bulls history.
Lynn hoped it was a sign of things to come in the BBL, tipping Bryant to find another gear alongside veteran master blaster McCullum at the top of the Heat order.
“He’s exciting, gives the ball a good whack. I just want him to keep calm, keep things simple like Brendon,” Lynn said.
“If he can follow suit we can ride the wave with each other’s success.
“But we know not all three of us are going to come off in the first game.”
Chris Lynn (right) is ready to dismantle bowling attacks.Source:Getty Images
Lynn said 37-year-old Kiwi McCullum would be just as influential on the Heat this season despite passing over the captaincy reins.
“The old boy is still throwing himself around at training. It’s always great to have him back on board, the energy he brings is really important,” he said.
“He will play a big part in me skippering this side. Over the last couple of years we have been helping each other out (with captaincy).
“And he’s in good nick at the moment, the old fella.”
Lynn hoped Brisbane’s new-look “Bash Brothers” find immediate success by punishing Queensland quicks Billy Stanlake and Michael Neser, who will spearhead the Strikers’ attack.
“They have had success before against us so we will try and throw a punch back at them,” he said.
“Billy is in for a show and obviously Brendon, Maxy and myself love pace on the ball.
“It will be an exciting contest. Hopefully there are balls flying around the park.”
— AAP
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