BBL: Stand-in skipper Jimmy Peirson says Heat can still contend for title

The Brisbane Heat are set to receive a much-needed batting boost as they fight to remain in BBL contention.

The Heat’s Jimmy Peirson will welcome some extra batting support. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brisbane Heat stand-in captain Jimmy Peirson is adamant his side can still make a Big Bash League impact with the “cavalry coming” for their underperforming batting line-up.

Dropped Test opener Joe Burns, English import Joe Denly and injured regular skipper Chris Lynn are soon set to bolster the Heat line-up, with Peirson believing Burns, in particular, can lift the young side.

“(He’s a) very seasoned batsman and it’ll be great to get him amongst our group,” Peirson said.

“His composure … he brings a lot of runs and nerves don’t seem to affect him as much, so it’s good having that calm, senior head in this group.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys in this group, especially with our batters, so he’ll be a good thing to have.”

The Heat crashed to 3-8 chasing the Hobart Hurricanes’ target of 150 at the Gabba on Wednesday night, and while they almost forced a super over, Peirson conceded his team’s batting needed to be much more consistent.

“We’ve got to find a way to win those games,” he said.

“I am pleased with the fight we’re showing, we’ve been quite competitive. We’re kicking ourselves in those situations, and if we do a few other little things as well we’ll start to win those games.

“We haven’t fired with the bat yet, I don’t think, and when we do we’ll be quite a tough team to beat.

“Our bowlers are standing up game-in, game-out. I’m seeing things I’m confident in, and if we put a few more little things in the batting particularly, we’ll start putting games together.

“Once we start doing that, the belief will build off that and … we’ve got the cavalry coming as well.”

A heart-breaking thriller.

1 run. 1 controversial run-out dismissal. Hold your head high boys. #BringtheHEAT #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/ZSq6FaPIQu

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) December 30, 2020

Mark Steketee’s run out from the final ball of the innings on Wednesday overshadowed an outstanding effort from teen Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who notched the fourth-best bowling figures in BBL history with his 5-15.

Mujeeb’s summer started on a sour note when he tested positive to COVID-19 while in mandatory quarantine after arriving in Australia in mid-December.

“He’s all well now and bowling beautifully,” Peirson said.

“I think he’s been fit for the last few games. I love playing with him and just see what he’s capable of at these tacky nights at the Gabba, he’s a real handful.

“He was a bit disappointed he didn’t get the wickets he probably deserved in the prior matches, but he got five (on Wednesday) and when it rains, it pours.

“He bowled very smartly to the tail, I thought, always hitting the stumps with his mixture of spin – what a talent.”

With no DRS in place for the Big Bash, the Heat were unable to review the decision of TV umpire Phillip Gillespie to give Steketee out, although Peirson said a better effort with the bat would have prevented the match getting down to the wire.

“I had a brief look just (after the match), and it looked like the bat did bounce up over the line,” he said.

“I’d love to have a real good look at it, but we can’t blame that or whinge about that. We got ourselves in a situation where we should have put that game to bed with the bat and we didn’t do that.

“I think the right decision was made from what I can see.”