Big Bash League’s least successful side Sydney Thunder began their BBL 04 campaign on a great note by defeating former champions Brisbane Heat by 56 runs in the side’s first match of the season at Sydney. Brisbane Heat were bundled out for 152 in 17.5 overs while chasing 209 set by the Sydney Thunder.
Nathan Reardon and Chris Lynn top scored for the hosts with a 25 ball 49 and a 26 ball 40. The Heat’s hope of chasing the total were dashed after both these players were dismissed. Gurinder Sandhu and Pat Cummins starred with the ball with figures of 5-40 in seven overs between them.
Captain Mike Hussey along with former South African great Jacques Kallis led their side from the front by putting on 160 runs in 16 overs. Both Hussey and Kallis are 39 years old and have announced their retirement form International Cricket. It was an exhibition of risk-free batting as both played sensibly in the field restriction overs, rotated the strike in the middle overs before stepping on the accelerator in after the end of the 12th over.
Hussey fell for a 60 ball 96 which included 6 fours and 7 sixes when tried to pull Cameroon Gannon out of the ground but ended up in skiing to wicket-keeper Jimmy Pierson. Kallis raised the tempo of his game and from there on there were no half measures as he plundered 46 runs in 10 balls and remained not-out on 97 off 55 with seven fours and six sixes. Newly appointed England ODI captain Eoin Morgan remained not-out on 12 off 5 balls.
England’s Andrew Flintoff gave away 25 runs in his two overs and got out for a duck while batting. Kallis was announced as the man of the match.
Brief Scores: Sydney Thunder 209-1 in 20 overs (Kallis 97*, Hussey 96) beat Brisbane Heat 152 in 17.5 overs (Reardon 49, Lynn 40, Sandhu 3-19) by 56 runs.