BBL 12: Neser takes Brisbane Heat to their second Big Bash Final will face Scorchers in Perth
Brisbane Heat defeated three time Big Bash champions Sydney Sixers in a low-scoring game to enter their third final.
With their major players having left the team in order to travel to India for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, Heat under the leadership of Jimmy Peirson dominated in the final clash before the Grand Finale on February 4. Where they will face off against four-time title champions Perth Scorchers for BBL 12 title.
Stalwart Michael Neser once again displayed his nerves of steal to take his team into the finals. Neser showed great intent with the ball and bat in hand.
Be it starting things off positively with the ball or finish things off on a high note, the 32-year-old certainly had things working in his favor.
BBL 12 Semi-Final: Brisbane Heat Vs Sydney Sixers
Playing XIs:
Sydney Sixers: Josh Philippe (wk), Kurtis Patterson, Daniel Hughes, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Hayden Kerr, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Stephen O’Keefe, Izharulhuq Naveed |
Brisbane Heat: Sam Heazlett, Josh Brown, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Hain, Jimmy Peirson (c) (wk), Max Bryant, James Bazley, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann |
Brief Highlights:
After winning the flip Sydney Sixer’s captain Moises Henriques invited the opposition to bowl first at Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting first Sixers hardly managed to set up a three-figure total in a high risk match. Sixers only score 116 runs in their 20 over quota at a lose of 9 wickets. Out of which, Daniel Hughes scored the most 23 runs off 24 ball.
However, the credit should be totally given to Heat’s magnificent bowling performance. As Matt Kuhnemann and Spencer Johnson picked three wickets each to keep Sixers quiet in the first innings. Moreover, Michael Neser finished things off nicely in the end of the first half.
Heat wouldn’t have anticipated having to chase such a meagre total in the league semi-final. They were quite being offered the win in a plate. However, they lost six early wickets chasing down a short target of just 117 runs. Neser again backed the team and anchored the sinking ship. Batting at number 7, Neser came out unbeaten having scored 48 off 32, which included 7 fours, out of which 7 were in a row.
Neser finished things off in style by hitting a boundary over Ben Dwarshuis’ head to claim a four-wicket victory with 10 balls in hand. While Izharulhaq Naveed’s efforts went in vain.
With this came to end Dan Christian’s cricket journey. As he had announced to draw curtains to his decade-long career earlier this year.
Also read: We’ve made the right decision to not play a tour match : Steve Smith takes dig at Indian pitches
Thank you for reading.
