Big Bash League: Highlights from the 13th game: Brisbane Heat defeat Adelaide Strikers

The unbeaten Adelaide Strikers led the table BBL with three wins before meeting the Heat on Friday night, who had lost their first two games after ending last season on a six-game losing streak.

Wickets kept falling one after the other, but Billings (79) fired the Heat to 9-166 after the hosts had won the batting. Strikers lost early wickets and got to 4-38 before finishing their 20 overs with 9-160.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sam Billings having a good time in teal! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/KFCAustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KFCAustralia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBL12?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBL12</a> <a href="https://t.co/j4D17LqKRy">pic.twitter.com/j4D17LqKRy</a></p>&mdash; KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBL/status/1606251128215277568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Colin de Grandhomme (37) and Thomas Kelly shared a 73-run partnership, with Kelly scoring a career-high 43 runs from 33 balls. Some powerful late hitting from Harry Nielsen (24) ensured the visitors needed just 32 runs in the final three overs.

But Michael Neser (2-23 from four overs) picked up a wicket and conceded just four runs in the 19th over to clinch the match for Adelaide.

Mark Steketee was the Heat's best bowler, with a 4-34 from his four overs.

Lynn, the face of the Heat franchise for 11 years, scored 12 runs before being brought down in controversial circumstances in the first meeting with his old club.

The all-time leading run-scorer ( BBL ) came to bat in the very first over after Neser caught Jake Weatherald in front with the first ball of the innings.

The visitors fell behind with 2-14 to play when Matt Short (three runs) lost in the second over, and it was to get worse when Lynn was run out with the first ball of the fourth.

The Strikers had to deal with a needless DRS challenge by Weatherald, which was unsuccessful, meaning Lynn could not review their decision as replays showed the ball went over the stumps.

Earlier, Billings, dropped on 22 and 42, had scored 27 runs, including three sixes, in Peter Siddle's 19th over.

He eventually left the match with 79 runs from 48 deliveries, including six fours and four sixes.

Max Bryant was the next-best batsman for the Heat with 46 runs, including eight fours.

Short was unsuccessful with the bat but scored a career-best 3-14 runs from his three overs with offspin.

The speedy Henry Thornton, who currently collects the most wickets on BBL, finished with 1 for 37 runs, taking his tally to 12.

Man of the Match: Sam Billings was named Man of the Match for his brilliant 79 off 48 balls

Brisbane Heat Squad

Playing - Max Bryant, Colin Munro, Matt Renshaw, Sam Billings, Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), Ross Whiteley, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann, James Bazley

Bench - Xavier Bartlett, Josh Brown

Adelaide Strikers Squad

Playing - Jake Weatherald, Matthew Short, Chris Lynn, Adam Hose, Thomas Kelly, Colin de Grandhomme, Harry Nielsen (wk), Rashid Khan, Henry Thornton, Peter Siddle (c), Wes Agar

Bench - Ben Manenti, Henry Hunt, Cameron Boyce, Harry Conway, Jordan Buckingham, Ryan Gibson