The Brisbane Heat have recorded a remarkable four wicket win after Max Bryant’s stunning knock, but the Stars will be lamenting a massive missed opportunity after a controversial incident.
The Heat’s victory snapped the Stars’ four-game winning streak.
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Bryant hit the winning boundary to finish on 48 (26), but he was lucky to last that long after edging one to Stars keeper Sam Harper a few overs earlier.
It was given not out by the umpire and Harper didn’t seem to hear anything, so the Stars elected not to review even though an edge was clearly heard from the Fox Cricket commentary box.
“He smashed that,” Brett Lee said.
A look at ‘Snicko’ moments later showed that Bryant did in fact manage an edge on the ball.
“What about this? This is a huge moment. He was on two, Max Bryant, and they just didn’t really consider at all going upstairs. You two (Healy and Lee) gave it out immediately as it happened,” Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket.
“You’ve got consider a few things – there’s 30 odd thousand people at the ground, they’re all buzzing having a good time. So it is hard to hear,” Lee added.
“But we heard it up here in the commentary box. A massive moment, big, big moment.”
Bryant himself even admitted he was out.
“I did nick one there, early on in my innings. Luckily, they didn’t review it, so lucky to get away there,” Bryant said.
“I was kind of laughing after the (review) timer ran out.
“That’s cricket, you get them sometimes, sometimes they go the other way and you get given out. So you’ve got to take those.”
While the Heat caught a huge break, they were still up against it to chase down Melbourne’s total.
At that stage, they were needing 76 off five overs with just five wickets in hand.
However, Bryant took andvantage of his second life and belted the Stars to all parts of the Gabba, reminding the league just how dangerous he is when on song.
All-rounder and Heat skipper Xavier Bartlett provided a crucial knock in partnership, hitting 20 off just eight balls before Bryant found the gap for four to deliver a Heat win with three balls remaining.
“They were gone, they were out, it seemed a step too far,” Adam Gilchrist said.
“You never say die… No game is safe in the modern era.”
BIG HITS
DEBUT’S HUGE IMPRESSION
Earlier, BBL debutant Blake Macdonald set the Gabba alight, smacking an unbeaten 37 off just 12 balls to help the Stars to 195.
The Stars were struggling at 6/139 after 17 overs before scoring 56 off the last 18 balls of the innings to wrestle back the momentum in their favour.
“What a statement from Blake Macdonald,” Adam Gilchrist said.
Sam Harper continued his excellent form this summer, hitting 37 to get the Stars off to a flyer.
He was wearing the yellow cap for leading runscorer of the tournament but had to revert back to the Stars’ green cap after Heat star Matt Renshaw overtook him at the top during his knock of 41.
Debutant steals the show at The Gabba! | 01:02
WHAT A CATCH… BUT IT DOESN’T COUNT
Heat young gun Hugh Weibgen almost produced the catch of the summer until it wasn’t however it’s the Stars that are struggling. They’re 6/139 off 17.
Weibgen put in an outstanding effort to catch Sam Harper with a miraculous one handed grab but he fell back and tumbled into the boundary, resulting in a six as the ball never hit the ground.
“Oh no. That’s the disappointment,” Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket.
“What a effort. It was one of the catches of the season but now it’s not.”
‘Catch of the season’ gone begging! | 00:48
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