Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers Challenger Match Commentary: Big Bash League, 2023-24

5.45pm  Right then, the stage is set for the Grand Final of the Big Bash League 2023-24. It will be the decorated Sydney Sixers taking on a hungry Brisbane Heat side at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, the 24th of January in a bid for immortal glory. The game will begin at 1.45 pm IST (8.15 am GMT) but as usual, you can also join us for the early build-up to that epic game. Cheers!

5.42pm  Josh Brown is the Player of the Match for his unbelievable knock of 140 runs from just 57 balls. Brown says that the hip's a bit sore and it was an injury that he picked up in this game but will hopefully be alright. He says that he is still pinching himself for tonight's knock. Says that when he hit his first pull, he felt good and the confidence crept in. He adds that he was standing still and looking to hit it out if it was in his slot. Says that's how he has played since grade cricket. Further says that he has power but now he is learning to defend more. Adds that he prefers pace. Lauds that the Strikers are an incredible outfit. Hopes it'll be a good wicket at the SCG.

5.40pm  The Presentation ceremony...

5.40pm  Earlier in the game, Brisbane Heat opted to bat first after having performed well below their best in the previous two games but this time around, powerful opener Josh Brown got into his groove early on. Brown and the skipper Nathan McSweeney put on a stand of 119 runs in very quick time with the opener simply in a punishing mood. Brown went on to score the equal second-fastest ton in BBL and even equaled the record for most maximums in a BBL inning with 12 big ones. Brown finally got out on 140 and then we got to witness how the pitch actually played as the Heat's middle order couldn't kick on much. The likes of David Payne and the two spinners did a stellar job at the back end to pick up wickets but they did still concede 210 plus runs. Coming to the chase, Adelaide Strikers didn't get the start they needed and Brisbane Heat managed the game pretty well to head into the Final for the second time running.

5.35pm  A bridge too far in the end for Adelaide Strikers and they will feel that one man blew them out of the water but it was quite a fine campaign overall for them. Chasing 215 for the win, the pressure was on their openers to score fast and score big but D'Arcy Short didn't get going at all. Matthew Short did get on strike after being stranded at one end and started to fire but couldn't hang on for too long. He soon perished and the other Short followed suit. Thomas Kelly did put away a valiant fight and got into the forties but they lost wickets in the Power Surge. It was then Harry Nielsen who kept fighting till the end and notched up his first-ever 50 in the competition and there were a few big blows from the lower order but they fell well short of the target in the end.

5.27pm  BRISBANE HEAT ARE IN THE FINAL OF BBL 13! A remarkable final over from the skipper and we have our second finalists and it will be Brisbane Heat taking on Sydney Sixers in the Grand Finale of the Big Bash League 2023-24 on Wednesday at the SCG! The Heat had a big total on a wicket that wasn't as easy to bat on as Josh Brown made it look and all they needed for a couple of early wickets and they got just that. After getting D'Arcy Short bogged down at one end, they were able to pick off the dangerman Matthew Short. Spencer Johnson was prolific as he sent both openers back to the hut in one over and came back in and broke a brewing stand and that stamped the Heat's authority in the game. They did get hit for a few boundaries and there was one more good stand from the opposition but they had the runs behind them and picked up wickets in the latter stages to notch up a big winning heading into the summit clash.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! And that's curtains for the Strikers in this season. Off-break around off, Lloyd Pope stands still and looks to heave it over the leg side but ends up getting the top edge to the on side. Nathan McSweeney calls sharply for the catch moving to his right and settling his eyes on the ball and pouches a safe catch with a reverse cup. Nathan McSweeney ends up with a 3-fer and helps the Brisbane Heat advance to the Finals. They will be meeting the team in magenta, the Sydney Sixers a couple of moons from now at SCG.
Lloyd Pope c&b N McSweeney 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

5.25pm  Lloyd Pope is the last man in for Adelaide Strikers.

OUT! CAUGHT! That's two for the skipper! Tossed up outside off, Harry Nielsen steps out and swings hard at it but gets a leading edge towards backward point. Charlie Wakim inside the circle tries to reverse cup it but pops it out. The ball hits the front of his cap and was falling before he tumbled to grab it above the ground with his right hand. That's two for the Heat skipper and they are just one scalp away to advance to the Finals.
Harry Nielsen (wk) c C Wakim b N McSweeney 50 (33b 6x4 1x6)

5.23pm  Cameron Boyce is the new man in.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Nathan McSweeney the skipper gets the wicket in his very first delivery. A flighted off-break outside off, David Payne gets down on his knee and goes to slog it over the leg side but ends up getting the top edge which balloons up over the bowler. Nathan McSweeney with a couple of steps back settles himself under the ball and grabs it nicely.
David Payne c&b N McSweeney 13 (6b 0x4 2x6)

5.22pm  The skipper, Nathan McSweeney to bowl the final over of the match. Nathan did signal toward the end of the previous over something regarding a hamstring issue which Michael Neser might be suffering from and hence, he took the ball himself.