Prime Minister’s XI skipper Nathan McSweeney showed just how versatile he can be in Australia’s Next Gen plans with the classy 73 that has kept the Brisbane Heat on top of the BBL.
The Heat did their best to derail the supreme start that McSweeney and opener Josh Brown (39) gave them at 1-107 in the 12th over with a stunning collapse of 7-16 off their final 18 balls at the Gabba.
MATCH CENTRE: Heat v Thunders, scorecard, teams, highlights
The Heat were 20 runs short of expectations at 172 all out thanks to career-best T20 figures of 5-30 from Sydney Thunder’s left-arm quick Daniel Sams.
It hinted at a Thunder win when openers Cam Bancroft (46) and Alex Hales (28) made a flying start to 0-58 into the seventh over but Hales’ careless exit messed up the momentum.
The new-look Heat were clinical once they opened a wound with that first wicket and won by 15 runs with the Thunder reduced to 9-157. Confidence and not just being a bull-at-a-gate side are big steps this season. Spinners Matthew Kuhnemann (2-25) and Mitch Swepson, with his miserly 1-29, turned the game in tandem with the ball and paceman Xavier Bartlett got the big wicket of Bancroft.
The Heat now have four wins and a point from a washout to head the BBL.
NEXT LEVEL McSWEENEY
Wednesday night’s 52-ball innings from McSweeney was full of all the fast hands and smart shotmaking that have the Australian selectors sizing him up for an international career.
He has two Sheffield Shield centuries for South Australia already this summer and 40 at No.5 against Pakistan in his PM XI’s appearance.
The right-hander was on from the start…an on drive and flick through square leg were fours almost immediately. He punched cuts and he delivered a straight driven four as well. Class in a word.
SLIPPERY SAMS
Just about every time Australian cricket zeroes on a new young toy, the value of a hardened, experienced pro does the job.
Daniel Sams is 31 but he’s still an absolute bankable asset in T20 cricket. When McSweeney hit him sweetly over long-off for six to open the 12th over, the Heat were cruising at 1-104.
The Gabba pitch always gives a bit to the clever paceman and Sams almost turned the game with four wickets in his final over. His change of pace forced skied shots and he cleverly mixed up his angles.
Sams burns Heat in 4 wicket over! | 01:43
BRISBANE CROWDS LOVE A WINNER
The biggest Heat crowd at the Gabba (29,155) since January, 2020 turned up to cheer their unbeaten side.
They loved the duel with Englishman Hales and the Indian Premier League’s new $1.78 million dollar man Spencer Johnson.
The fast left-armer bowled a searing first over at him and Hales’ footwork was all over the place.
He got through that torrid opening, even with the direct hit in the box that brought tears to the eyes of the batsman and the huge crowd. Hales had smacked five fours and a six in his 28 when he miscued Kuhnemann and was caught. He knew he’d blown it because he cursed himself animatedly.
Johnson is rapidly becoming a cult hero. He bowled 15 dot balls in his excellent 2-24 from four overs.
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MATCH PREVIEW
Brisbane are undefeated through four games (three wins and one washout) with big hitter Colin Munro and spinner Mitchell Swepson leading the charge.
The Thunder posted their first win of the season in their last start when they chased down the Melbourne Stars’ 172 with 10 balls to spare.
Cameron Bancroft been the Thunder’s best batsman this summer while Tanveer Sangha has been the pick of the bowlers.
But they’ve already lost to the Heat this season when the Sydney outfit failed to chase down 7-151 in their season opener.
TEAMS
Brisbane Heat: Josh Brown, Colin Munro (c), Nathan McSweeney, Matthew Renshaw, Sam Billings (wk), Paul Walter, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitch Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann
Sydney Thunder: Alex Hales, Cameron Bancroft (wk), Jason Sangha, Ollie Davies, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green (c), Gurinder Sandhu, Zaman Khan, Tanveer Sangha