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The Brisbane Heat have been crowned Big Bash League champions for the first time in 11 years, thumping the Sydney Sixers by 54 runs in Wednesday evening’s final at the SCG.
The men in teal successfully defended a 167-run target courtesy of a career-best bowling performance from star quick Spencer Johnson, with the Sixers rolled for 112.
MATCH CENTRE: Sixers vs Heat scorecard, videos, updates
Johnson was named player of the match after claiming 4-26, the best bowling figures in a BBL final, to silence the 43,153 Sydney spectators, a record Big Bash crowd at the SCG.
“It’s unbelievable,” Johnson told Fox Cricket after the match.
“I owe the Brisbane Heat everything. Coming up here last year, I didn’t know where my career was going. Now I’ve won the Big Bash with 11 of my closest mates.
“The Brisbane Heat have changed my life. It’s pretty special.”
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Sixers snag dream start to BBL final | 00:36
“I feel like we were the best team all year, so I think we deserve to have the medal around our neck,” Johnson continued.
Earlier, Heat opener Josh Brown continued where we left off from Monday night’s Challenger against the Adelaide Strikers, smacking a belligerent 53 to guide the visitors towards 8-166.
The Queenslander combined with captain Nathan McSweeney for an 85-run partnership for the second wicket, blasting three sixes and five boundaries during his 38-ball onslaught.
The Sixers, who won the toss and elected to field first, were left to rue a costly dropped catch in the third over, with Ben Dwarshuis putting down a low chance at deep square leg when Brown was on 3.
Josh Brown top scored with 53.Source: Getty Images
However, Brown’s demolition ended in the 13th over courtesy of a captaincy masterstroke from Sixers skipper Moises Henriques, who had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week. Veteran spinner Steve O’Keefe, who was playing his final match in professional cricket, convinced his captain to review a marginal LBW shout against Brown, with replays confirming the ball had clipped the right-hander’s front pad.
O’Keefe, who finished his Big Bash career with exactly 99 wickets, received a standing ovation from the Sydney crowd after completing his spell of 1-26.
Henriques’ contentious decision to bowl first paid dividends early when paceman Sean Abbott dismissed Heat wicketkeeper Jimmy Person in the opening over of the match, charging down the deck and feathering the Kookaburra through to rival gloveman Josh Philippe for 4.
After a slow start, Brown picked up the tempo when the fielding restrictions were lifted in the fifth over, racing towards a half-century in just 32 deliveries. McSweeney fell victim to Dwarshuis moments after the drinks break, top-edging a pull shot towards Todd Murphy at deep fine leg for 33 (32).
Max Bryant (29 from 19 balls) and Matthew Renshaw (40 from 22 balls) provided some late fireworks, plundering 31 runs from the two-over Power Surge before a late collapse of 5-19 from 12 balls.
Sean Abbott became the first man to take four wickets in a BBL final.Source: AFP
Abbott, who claimed three wickets in the penultimate over, finished with 4-32 to become the first cricketer to take at least four scalps in a BBL final, a record that lasted about 90 minutes.
The Sixers’ run chase got off to a horror start with opener Daniel Hughes departing in the first over for 1, nicking a wide delivery from seamer Michael Neser through to Renshaw at first slip.
Johnson struck on the final delivery of the Powerplay, with Sixers all-rounder Jack Edwards chopping back onto his stumps for 16 before returning in the ninth over to remove the dangerous Philippe, who miscued a pull shot towards mid-wicket for 23.
The Sixers were suddenly reeling at 4-57 when leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson produced an absolute peach that deceived Jordan Silk, who was stumped by Peirson for a fourth-ball duck. The men in magenta needed a captain’s knock from their skipper, but Henriques crawled towards 25 before top-edging a slower bouncer from England international Paul Walter towards mid-on.
Spencer Johnson answered Sean Abbott’s spell with four wickets of his own.Source: Getty Images
Things went from bad to worse for the Sixers when all-rounder Hayden Kerr was forced to retire hurt in the 12th over, limping off with a suspected hamstring injury.
Swepson, who also knocked over Sixers young gun Joel Davies for 15, finished with 2-19, while fellow spinner Matthew Kuhnemann didn’t concede a boundary during his probing four-over spell.
Neser provided a moment of magic in the final over of the match, chucking the ball back into play before tumbling over the rope for a stunning relay catch, with O’Keefe falling for a golden duck the following delivery to wrap up the tournament. After the match-winning moment, Johnson walked across to O’Keefe and congratulated the 39-year-old on a stellar career.
TEAMS
Sixers: Daniel Hughes, Jack Edwards, Josh Philippe (wk), Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Joel Davies, Hayden Kerr, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Todd Murphy, Stephen O’Keefe
Heat: Jimmy Peirson (wk), Josh Brown, Nathan McSweeney (c), Matthew Renshaw, Max Bryant, Paul Walter, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Swepson, Matt Kuhnemann
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