Live: Heat vs Stars

The Heat went berserk to belt the Melbourne Stars on Friday night.

The Melbourne Stars could only watch in awe as the Brisbane Heat chased down their decent score in just 10 overs in a stunning display of hitting at the Gabba.

It was a record-breaking night as the Heat were on fire, led by Max Bryant and Ben Cutting at the top of the order.

It meant Brendan McCullum couldn’t farewell his home crowd with the bat but his side does claim a win in his last game before he retires from the BBL at the end of the season.

11.20pm

BBL in awe of blistering assault

The commentators were in awe of the stunning assault from the Brisbane Heat.

Darren Lehmann said the Melbourne Stars’ 8/156 looked about “25 short but could have been 100 short”.

Heat opener Max Bryant flew to 50 off 20 balls before Ben Cutting caught up, scoring his 50 off 17 balls.

It’s the second fastest 50 in Big Bash history, behind only Chris Gayle’s 12 ball 50, beating Chris Lynn, Brendan McCulluim and Tim Ludeman with 18 ball 50s.

Cutting hit 81 off just 30 balls including eight sixes, while Bryant hit 71 off 30 balls with five sixes.

The entire Stars innings saw four sixes.

The Heat claimed the win within 10 overs, the biggest ever T20 score for a side winning within 10 overs.

Other records the onslaught claimed were the biggest BBL power play with 94 off the first six overs and Cutting hitting the fastest 80 in BBL history.

Highest T20 scores for sides getting a win inside 10 overs

0-158 HEAT v STARS 2019

1-147 NZ v SL 2016

1-141 Colts CC v Bloomfield CAC 2015

3-137 Saudi Arabia v Kuwait 2019

@HeatBBL #BBL08 — Swamp (@sirswampthing) February 8, 2019

Brisbane Heat scores 158/0 in 10 overs during their chase vs Melbourne Stars. Their run-rate of 15.8 is the highest in a Twenty20 innings that lasted at least 50 balls.



Prev: 14.94 by Saudi Arabia (137/3 from 9.1 overs) vs Kuwait, 2019. #BBL08 #BHvMS — Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 8, 2019

It was the perfect way to send Brendan McCullum out a winner in Brisbane.

The match also makes the BBL finals equation very interesting.

The Heat have moved into fourth with a huge net run rate bump, while the Stars have one more game to push into the finals.

The Sydney Thunder now need to win big against the Hobart Hurricanes to stay alive, while the Stars will face the Sydney Sixers to try to leapfrog back into the finals.

You just heard it on the telecast, @ThunderBBL need to win by about 60 runs/within 12 overs to pass @HeatBBL 😮 #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/au5YtsButq — #7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 8, 2019

Earlier, the Stars had struggled, losing early wickets.

Marcus Stoinis played a lone hand with 81 off 51 balls, anchoring the innings.

Dwayne Bravo was the only other player to pass 20, scoring 21 off 16 deliveries.

But it was a complete demolition for the Heat.

I think the official term for that is an Absolute Shellacking. But I could be wrong. #BBL08 — Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) February 8, 2019

I turned down a free ticket to the cricket at the Gabba tonight because I was too tired. Don’t I feel like a bloody muppet!!! Talk about regret. #BBL08 — Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottliebFOX) February 8, 2019

They’ve found cheat mode #BBL08 — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) February 8, 2019

It seems insane to think what the Heat might have scored with a full 20 overs. #BBL08 — Caden Helmers (@cadenhelmers) February 8, 2019

Coulda made 300, the heat. Been complaining about no-contest finishes but happy to have watched that, the biggest win ever. Amazing batting. #BBL08 — ron reed (@reedrw) February 8, 2019

But seriously that’s the most insane innings of the #BBL08 season. — Dan Condon (@doncandon) February 8, 2019

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10.55pm

Bryant’s insane hitting

Queensland youngster Max Bryant has slammed his first BBL 50 with a stunning display of hitting.

The 19-year-old crushed 52 off just 20 balls.

He’s been the leading hand as the Brisbane Heat are savaging the Melbourne Stars and made Marcus Stoinis’ 81 off 51 look pedestrian.

Along with Ben Cutting (32 not out off 13 balls), the Heat openers smashed 94 off the first six overs.

It’s the biggest power play in the history of the Big Bash.

Ben Cutting soon caught up bringing his 50 up in just 17 balls.

10pm

Stoinis does it again

Marcus Stoinis has played a solo hand for the Melbourne Stars, finally being dismissed in the 18th over.

Stoinis slammed 81 off 51 but a tired second run saw him caught short by an Alex Ross throw from the boundary.

Stoinis has had an incredible batting performance in BBL08.

In 10 innings, he has scored 442 runs at 63.14 and a strike rate over 135.

And he loves the Gabba.

Marcus Stoinis was run out literally centimetres short of a century at the Gabba last summer after facing 51 balls and he goes for 81 tonight, again off 51 balls.



Stoinis averages 63.7 at a strike-rate of 173.6 at the Gabba. #BBL08 — Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) February 8, 2019

The Stars hit 8/156 off its 20 overs.

9.10pm

Renshaw strikes with the ball

Matthew Renshaw has shown his all-round ability, striking with the ball to remove Ben Dunk in the fifth over to spark an early collapse.

Ben Dunk hit a huge six before Renshaw took his wicket.

Josh Lalor then came to the party for the Heat, removing Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell in the same over.

But the Heat will be worried about the other end with Marcus Stoinis cruising to 40 off 21 balls in the first six overs as the Stars made 3/60 off the power play.

8.30pm

Lynn wins flip

Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn has won the bat flip and elected to bowl first.

A loss will see Brendan McCullum end his BBL career.

Heat skip Chris Lynn has won the bat flip and elected to BOWL first #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/6QvEDaqkJM — KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 8, 2019

The teams you’ll see take the field at the Gabba tonight! @IamSandeep25 returns for the Stars, while it’ll be all about @Bazmccullum for the Heat! #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/HvPpv18ApY — KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 8, 2019

8pm

Lynn backs McCullum’s career change

Chris Lynn has endorsed the coaching credentials of retiring Brendon McCullum and brushed aside his ODI snub as he prepares for a must-win BBL clash for the Brisbane Heat.

The Heat must win Friday’s meeting with the Melbourne Stars at the Gabba and then rely on them and the Sydney Thunder to lose their final regular season games if they are to make the finals.

Their hot and cold 5-7 season has led to pressure on coach Daniel Vettori, with McCullum’s retirement announcement only adding to that.

Lynn stepped in to bat for Vettori — a former New Zealand teammate of McCullum’s — saying he had shown “great composure” in what’s been a testing season.

But he left the door ajar for his good mate, saying McCullum’s history in Twenty20 cricket meant he could transition straight into the new caper.

“He’s second all-time leading run-scorer in Twenty20 cricket (with 9922 runs — behind Chris Gayle’s 12298) — you don’t want to leave that guy out of your set-up,” Lynn said.

“I think he could definitely be a head coach, but that’s for the powers above to decide.

“You can build a brand around his style of play and leadership ... you look at the New Zealand cricket team, they really benefited from that.” More concerned by the Heat’s current BBL plight, Lynn was unfazed by his omission from the Australian limited overs side to tour India ahead of the World Cup.

“Possibly yeah, but I don’t read into it too much,” he said of his World Cup prospects dimming.

“I’ve had a shit run of injuries over the last couple of years, so just to be out in the paddock with the guys is pretty special in my eyes. “The other guys are scoring runs - the last series against India the batting order did really well - there’s a good mix of class and power in that line-up. “And it’s the Australian cricket team, no spot’s a given so it motivates me to work harder and score more runs.”

— AAP