BBL 9: Brisbane Heats beat Sydney Thunder by 16 runs via DLS method

Brisbane Heats defeated Sydney Thunder by 16 runs via the DLS method in a rain-curtailed match played at Sydney Showground, Sydney on Monday.

In a rain-curtailed match reduced to 8 overs a side, Brisbane Heats captain Chris Lynn won the toss and decided to bat first. It was a flying start for Tom Banton who played with positive right from word go putting pressure on Sydney Thunder bowlers. The power play overs were reduced to 2 overs. At the end of those two overs, Brisbane Heats openers scored 39. Banton hit 5 successive sixes off Arjun Nair bowling in the 4^th over and reach the 2^nd fastest fifty off 16 balls. He was finally dismissed by Tremain for a brilliant 56 off 17 balls. Chris Lynn also played with positive intent putting pressure with a quickfire 31 off 13 balls. Sydney Thunder dropped too many chances which costed them.

Lynn and Banton added 90 runs for the opening wicket. In the next over, Chris Lynn was dismissed by Doggett. Max Bryant scored a quickfire 12 off 7 balls. Prestwidge hit few lovely shots in the final over to help Brisbane Heats post 119 for 4 in 8 overs.

Chasing 120 runs to win, it was not an ideal start for Sydney Thunder as Zahir Khan dismissed Usman Khawaja cheaply in the 2^nd over. Alex Hales who did not face any balls smashed Khan for a six. At the end of 2 overs, Sydney Thunder were 22 for 1 before the rain arrived.

After the rain break, the revised target for Sydney Thunder was 77 runs in 5 overs. With 55 runs required off 17 balls, Sydney Thunder batsmen tried their best to overhaul the score. In the last over, Alex Ross and Hales required 28 runs, but Ben Cutting gave away 12 runs. Brisbane Heats won the match by 16 runs.

Brisbane Heats 119 for 4 in 8 overs (Tom Banton 56, Daniel Sams 2/24) beat Sydney Thunder 60 for 4 in 5 overs ( Alex Hales 20*, Prestwidge 2/15) by 16 runs DLS method.

Tom Banton was awarded the man of the match for his 56 off 17 balls.