Burns cameo helps Heat overcome Renegades fightback

An unbeaten 31 off 14 deliveries by Joe Burns helped Brisbane Heat overcome jitters as they secured a five-wicket victory against Melbourne Renegades at the Manuka Oval on Thursday (January 14) to move to the fifth spot on the points table. Chasing 150 for victory, Heat made a strong start courtesy Chris Lynn's half-century, but from 105 for 1 they slipped to 117 for 5. Burns, however, came to his team's rescue, scoring four fours and a six during his short stay as he helped Heat pick up four points from the game.

A good start from Heat

Only 12 runs were scored in the first three overs of the chase as Max Bryant struggled to get going. He did, however, manage a couple of fours off Kane Richardson but it was Lynn who came up the fireworks as he lay into Imad Wasim in the fifth over, scoring three successive fours. In the next four overs, Heat were kept quiet and they also lost Bryant who fell to Peter Hatzoglou in pursuit of quick runs. Heat needed 12 runs in the 10th over to gain the Bash Boost point and they managed it thanks to Joe Denly's slog-sweep off Noor Ahmad which went over the fence. Lynn, who struck his first six in the 11th over, also got a reprieve as he offered a simple chance to Shaun Marsh at mid-off, which the fielder took, but a backfoot no-ball from Jack Prestwidge meant that the Heat skipper could continue batting. He capitalised on it as he registered a 38-ball fifty, scoring another four off Wasim en route.

Renegades fightback goes in vain

Richardson ensured Lynn did not do any further damage as a low delivery to which the batsman played across, had him bowled. Lewis Gregory, the next man in, fell to a short delivery from Prestwidge. With 40 needed off 30 deliveries, the onus was on Denly to lead the side through. But he fell in his attempt to hit Wasim over the top and Renegades' impressive fightback continued with the wicket of James Bazley who was out stumped off Hatzoglou. But Burns struck two fours off short deliveries in the same over to bring down the equation to 22 off the last three overs. A slog-sweep for a six by Burns off Ahmad made things easier for Heat, who needed 10 off 12. Burns ensured there were no hiccups in the end, scoring two fours off Richardson to help Heat win with 1.2 overs to spare.

Regular strikes keep Renegades in check

Early wickets meant that the Renegades lacked the resources to build a foundation for their innings to prosper. Xavier Bartlett trapped Marsh for nought in the opening over while Mackenzie Harvey and Sam Harper, despite scoring regular boundaries in the first four overs, failed to kick on. Harvey fell to a terrific one-handed catch from Joe Burns at backward point while Harper outside-edged an attempted drive off Mark Steketee to leave the Renegades at 36 for 3 in the sixth over. When they reached the half-way stage of their innings, the Renegades had managed 71 but also lost the key wicket of Aaron Finch, with a low delivery from Jack Wildermuth striking him on the pads.

Webster fifty helps Renegades post a decent total

From overs 10-15, there were only three boundaries scored and only 31 runs were conceded as the Heat bowlers kept it tidy and did not allow Renegades to gain any momentum. Meanwhile, Jake Fraser-McGurk, who had made a useful start, had a lucky break close to the boundary ropes, and he went on to clear the fence off Steketee before falling to the same bowler in the 17th over. Morne Morkel accounted for Prestwidge as the Renegades continued to paint a sorry picture, slipping to 117 for 6 in the 18th. However, Beau Webster who had scored 24 off 31, ensured a score of some respectability for the Renegades as he struck two fours and two sixes in the last three overs to finish with an unbeaten 50 off 40 deliveries which, however, went in vain.

Where next for the teams?

Having suffered their eighth loss in 10 games, the clock is ticking for the Renegades who go next to the MCG for the Melbourne derby on January 17. Heat also travel to Melbourne where they take on Perth Scorchers at the Docklands stadium on January 19.

Brief scores: Melbourne Renegades 149/6 in 20 overs (Beau Webster 50*, Jake Fraser-McGurk 40; Mark Steketee 2-24) lost to Brisbane Heat 150/5 in 18.4 overs (Chris Lynn 50, Joe Burns 31*; Peter Hatzoglou 2-28) by 5 wickets.