Big Bash final: Perth Scorchers defeat Brisbane Heat in last-over thriller
Cooper Connolly - remember the name. Big Bash has a new star after the 19-year-old denied Brisbane Heat a famous BBL final win in one of the tournament’s greatest matches.
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The Brisbane Heat were labelled a bunch of nobodies going into Saturday’s Big Bash Decider against the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium.
But it was a little-known Perth kid, 19-year-old Cooper Connolly, that helped Perth claim five-wicket victory and a record fifth BBL title.
Having faced just 11 balls previously for the tournament, Connolly got to the wicket with his team needing 38 runs from 19 balls.
The captain of Australia during the 2022 ICC Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies, smashed the Heat for 25 runs, ironically from 11 balls, to see his side home.
Nick Hobson belted 10 runs from the second and third balls of the 20th over to seal the title.
The undermanned Heat put on a show in front of a record crowd of 53,886.
It was the fourth biggest BBL crowd for a game played at any ground and the biggest for any final played over the 12 years of the tournament.
The Heat were bottom of the BBL table midway through the tournament and had to win four of their last five games to scrape into the top five.
They scraped into the five courtesy of one point gained when there was no result in their contest against the Sydney Sixers in Game 28 and then had to win three knock-out finals just to make the Decider.
They fell three deliveries short of pulling off a remarkable victory.
GIVE HIM THE CAP
Adam Voges said during the week that Cricket Australia could do worse than having Ash Turner appointed as the new national T20 captain.
The Perth Scorchers captain backed up his coach’s words with a match-winning innings in the BBL Decider.
Batting at No.5, Turner got to the crease with his team in some trouble at 3-54.
He hit 53 from 32 balls, sharing an 80-run partnership with Josh Inglis (26), before he was sensationally run out by his teammate Hobson; the pair stranded in the middle of the pitch.
It was the Scorchers captain’s fourth half-century for the tournament, backing up the unbeaten 84 he scored in the Qualifier against the Sydney Sixers that got the Scorchers into the final.
WHY DID THEY BAT FIRST?
It seemed a strange decision by the Heat to bat first after winning the bat flip.
Sure, five of their six qualifying wins came having batted first.
But the wins over the Melbourne Renegades in the Knockout and Sydney Sixers in the Challenger came when chasing.
And they also batted first in their two previous outings against the Scorchers and lost both, by seven and eight wickets respectively.
The 7-175 was just four runs better than the total the Scorchers chased down comfortably in Game 33, the game before the Heat welcomed their Australian Test players to the squad.
NEEDED SOME LUCK
Brisbane was always going to need some luck to beat Perth on its home deck.
And it got plenty from the outset, three edges off the bat of Josh Brown in the opening over of the game, bowled by Jason Behrendorff, finding the boundary.
Brown rode that luck for the first two overs, facing every ball. But was dismissed on the last ball of the second over for 25 runs.
It set the Heat going though and Sam Heazlett and Nathan McSweeney knuckled down for a 79-run partnership in the next 10 overs.
Behrendorff got his revenge for the way he was treated in that first over.
The classy WA bowler took 2-5 in the first over of the power surge to drag the momentum in favour of the Scorchers.
We don’t often see catches taken at short fine leg, but both wickets fell in that over exactly that way.
The Heat lost 3-13 in 16 balls to be 4-117 in the 15th over.
From there, Max Brady’s entertaining 31 from 14 balls and Sam Hain’s unbeaten 21 ensured the Heat’s bowling team had something to defend.
BBL FINAL LIVE PERTH SCORCHERS V BRISBANE HEAT10.57PM 10 OFF 6 NEEDED
Michael Neser will bowl the last with an extra fielder in the ring due to a slow over rate.
CONNOLLY DROPPED!
And it costs two runs too. Josh Brown puts down the danger man and that could be very costly. 15 off 9 needed.
10.52PM CONNOLLY GOES LARGE
Teenager Cooper Connolly went 6, 2, 4 off James Bazley’s over to have the 53,000-strong crowd in raptures. The next two balls were dots, 26 off 13, before Connolly sent Bazley about 10 rows back over mid wicket. 20 runs off the last two overs. Stunning hitting.
10.44PM RUN OUT!
But is it Hobson or Turner? It’s Turner...wow! The batsmen couldn’t cross and that is a disaster for Perth. What an over from Xavier Bartlett. Two new batters and 39 off 19 needed.
10.42PM INGLIS CAUGHT!
That could be a massive moment. Inglis tries to go big over the off side from Bartlett but Sam Heazlett closes quickly and takes the catch on his knees. Perth need 42 off 21 and Nick Hobson will be on strike.
10.39PM 46 OFF 24 NEEDED
And again, the required rate stays under 12. Turner and Inglis seem content at the moment and aren’t having much trouble getting 10+ an over. A wicket would be huge here as it would be a dot ball as well.
10.37PM ASHTON TURNER 50
And now he’s mishitting sixes — several rows back too. After being the hero in the Challenger, Michael Neser has had a match to forget.
10.34PM 57 RUNS, 30 BALLS
Spencer Johnson’s first surge over goes for 13 (five more than Brisbane managed off its two surge overs). The Heat badly needed a wicket here.
10.29PM SCORCHERS TAKE THE SURGE
Spencer Johnson will bowl and the surge will be the 15th and 16th overs. Remember Brisbane scored 2-8 off its surge. Could that end up being the difference in this final?
Perth has outscored Brisbane's power surge in three balls #BBL12
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) February 4, 2023
10.27PM REPORTS DRS HAS STOPPED WORKING
Channel 7 reported that the DRS has gone down in Perth...hopefully they fix that soon as this game is going to the wire. Josh Inglis gets lucky with an edge for four off Kuhnemann which eased the pressure in that over. 70 off 36 needed — Perth has managed to keep the asking rate under 12 an over so far.
10.23PM TURNER THE KEY WICKET
Ashton Turner is the man who could take this away from the Heat. The Perth skipper has had an outstanding tournament and is 35 off 22 balls after taking 13 off James Bazley’s over. He’s been so good, I wrote a few days ago he should be back in the Aussie T20 squad a few days ago. You can read that article here.
10.20PM EIGHT OVERS REMAINING
91 from 48 balls. Seven wickets in hand. You sense the Heat might need to break this partnership. The crowd is 53,886 in Perth, the biggest for a game of cricket in Perth and biggest at a BBL final. Well played WA.
A new record attendance for ANY #BBL Finals match! 🤩 as well as Perth's largest ever cricket crowd! 🔥ðŸ What a turnout for the #BBL12 Final! 🙌 #FireUpTheFurnace#MADETOUGHpic.twitter.com/DMe7VTMKFv
— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) February 4, 2023
10.15PM THE ASHTON TURNER STAND
That’s what Justin Langer says Optus Stadium will need if the Scorchers skipper can get his side home. “...it won’t be called Optus Stadium anymore. They might have a stand named after Ashton Turner,” he says on Channel 7.
10.10PM 10 OVERS DOWN, PERTH SCORCHERS 3-67
The Scorchers will need 109 off the last 60 balls to win the BBL final. Huge job ahead for Ashton Turner and Josh Inglis. If they can nail the power surge, maybe those two overs will be decisive?
9.59PM HARDIE CAUGHT IN DEEP
Sam Heazlett has taken an absolute screamer to get rid of Aaron Hardie. Hardie has absolutely hammered that to deep backward square and Heazlett, who was about 10-15 metres off the rope, holds on. Spencer Johnson gets in on the wickets to have Perth 3-54 after 7.5 overs. “That is nearly the catch of the tournament,” Brad Hodge says.
Incredible.. pic.twitter.com/DXnUjSAQSU
— Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) February 4, 2023
9.55PM KUHNEMANN STRIKES
Cameron Bancroft tries to go large and holes out to Michael Neser in the deep. It’s game on now. Perth is 2-48 off seven overs and needs almost 10 an over from here.
The four overs of Matthew Kuhnemann are going to be where this game is won and lost. #BBL12
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) February 4, 2023
9.51PM HARDIE DROPPED!
“That could be a disaster,” says Brad Hodge. You’re telling us. Xavier Bartlett should have had the huge wicket of Aaron Hardie caught at deep square leg but Michael Neser puts it down. Perth is 1-43 after six overs. That would have been enormous.
9.43PM ESKINAZI RUN OUT DISASTER
Stephen Eskinazi has been run out after cruising home for a single — crazy running. He should have been home easily but pulled up a few metres short and Max Bryant’s throw just beat him to the non-striker’s end. Brisbane needed that after Perth raced to 0-31 at the end of the power play. “They will be absolutely bleed ing, the little one per centers that you have got to follow through in a final,” says Brad Hodge in commentary.
Wow. 👀😮
— CODE Cricket (@codecricketau) February 4, 2023
Not in a Final.#BBL12 | #SCOvHEA | #BBLFinals | @FoxCricket ðŸpic.twitter.com/KF5WzkPHMH
Caught snoozing!
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) February 4, 2023
A piece of running Stephen Eskinazi would like to forget #BBL12#BBLFinalspic.twitter.com/dyqbyfE9b1
Eskinazi should be grateful Langer isn't the Scorchers coach these days, unforgivable #bbl12
— Nick Fahey (@nickfahey96) February 4, 2023
9.25PM SCORCHERS INNINGS UNDERWAY
Perth Scorchers openers Cameron Bancroft and Stephen Eskinazi are in the middle of Optus Stadium and will face Michael Neser first up.
9.10PM LAST-BALL SIX GETS HEAT TO DECENT TOTAL
Normally 175 would be plenty in a final, but for some reason this feels like it might be unders. Even Max Bryant admitted as much, conceding the Heat set 180 as their par total batting first. It’ll take one of the biggest chases in a BBL final for Perth to win, but I’ve still got them ahead 60-40 on TimViz.
8.55PM BRYANT GOING OFF
Max Bryant is 31 from 31 balls and Brisbane has launched to 4-158 with two overs left.
8.35PM SURGE DISASTER FOR HEAT
How many times have we seen the power surge hurt a team this summer? It could hardly have gone worse for the Heat. Jason Behrendorff and David Payne manage 2-8 off the two overs with the field up including three dot balls in Payne’s over. Brisbane Heat needs a huge finish now at 3-112 off 14. “Could have gone one or two way, if they got 25 or 30 off the Power Surge, in a tough spot,” Perth opener Stephen Eskinazi says on Channel 7.
8.29PM PEIRSON OUT TOO
Double blow for the Heat. Captain Jimmy Peirson is done for pace by Behrendorff and an attempted hook shot catches him high on the bat/glove. It balloons to short fine leg and momentum is turning torward the Scorchers. Sam Hain has played some big innings for Brisbane since replacing Sam Billings.
8.25PM HEAZLETT GONE
You sense a crucial period in this match is upon us as Heazlett is caught at short fine leg off the first ball of the surge. Brisbane either pushes on here or could lose a few wickets. Jimmy Peirson comes in.
This innings from Nathan McSweeney, beautiful batting so composed. Really settled the nerves well
— itsJesseB (@itsJesseB_) February 4, 2023
8.22PM COULD CONDITIONS FAVOUR THE HEAT?
It’s an away final — and one of the longest trips in the BBL — but could Brisbane actually be favoured by an Optus Stadium final.
Ricky Ponting notes in commentary: “Conditions that actually suit Brisbane. As I said all this week leading up to this game, they were less suited for the final in Sydney,” he said.
“They play in Brisbane obviously, which is a lot more like this sort of surface, but their bowling attack is more suited to this type of wicket than it was to the turning wicket at the SCG.
“Think about Neser, Spencer Johnson is going to bowl quick, Xavier Bartlett swings the ball, Bazley has gone a great job right the way through this tournament.”
So...you’re telling me there’s a chance?
8.14PM 10 OVERS DOWN
And Brisbane Heat is 1-86! You’d have to think anything 160+ would be competitive and with wickets in the shed the Heat will be eyeing a big total. “Brisbane are on top here. The blueprint of Scorchers’ success is early wickets and squeeze. They didn’t get those early wickets. Brisbane are on top and the crowd, I think everyone’s feeling that,” says Justin Langer in commentary.
Just a couple of @HeatBBL fans enjoying some cricket #BBL12Finalpic.twitter.com/EIrQejDYtC
— Marnus Labuschagne (@marnus3cricket) February 4, 2023
8.08PM 50 PARTNERSHIP
Sam Heazlett has got going with a couple of boundaries to help bring up the 50 partnership with Nathan McSweeney. It’s pretty clear they’re targeting Aaron Hardie which makes sense as he’s the fourth or fifth seamer for Perth.
7.54PM MISSED STUMPING!
Connolly draws McSweeney out of his crease but Josh Inglis misses the ball! Inglis has been so good behind the stumps in BBL12 but that one should have been a wicket. Connolly couldn’t believe it and even appealed for lbw.
FIRST DRINKS BREAK — HEAT 1-41
Sam Heazlett and Nathan McSweeney have rode their luck since Josh Brown was caught off the bowling of Englishman David Payne. Brisbane is ticking along at more than eight an over in a very promising start. Young all-rounder Cooper Connolly is thrown the ball — he’s the only spinner in the Perth side after Matt Kelly was preferred to Peter Hatzoglou.
7.45PM HUGE CROWD TURNS OUT IN WEST
They’re expecting 50,000 to turn up to Optus Stadium despite temperatures of 40+ degrees!
“Obviously unbelievably hot and the atmosphere is ridiculous, to be honest,” Eskinazi tells Channel 7.
“I have never played cricket in anything quite like it.”
7.35PM CRAZY START AS BROWN EDGES THREE BOUNDARIES
Josh Brown has edged three boundaries off the first over and Brisbane is 0-13 off six balls. Two went through gully/backward point and one flew through second to third slip. “I mean, you can consider all of those to be extremely lucky,” Ricky Ponting says in commentary.
I’ll take that from Josh Brown in his first season. A large part of turning the @HeatBBL season around & will put bums on seats from game 1 next year!#BBLFinals
— TJ Monk (@TJMonk2) February 4, 2023
7.30PM HEAT INNINGS UNDERWAY
Jason Behrendorff angles across Josh Brown with the first ball of the BBL final and play is underw in Perth.
7.20PM WOULD SCORCHERS BEAT AUSTRALIA?
Tonight they only need to beat Brisbane, but could Perth Scorchers defeat the Australian T20 side? That’s what one analyst believes. READ THE FULL STORY HERE and have your say.
7.15PM THE PITCH
Local hero Mike Hussey reports that it’s 42 degrees in the middle at Optus Stadium. So it's the Scorchers v Heat and a literal scorcher in Perth. Mark Waugh says on Fox Cricket the wicket looks a bit drier than usual.
6.55PM TEAM NEWS
Only one change across both teams. Brisbane Heat understandably is going in with the team that defeated the Sixers. Matthew Kelly is in for Lance Morris, who has headed to India with the Aussie squad.
It’s time ðŸ†
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) February 4, 2023
All to lose vs nothing to lose. You work our who's who...
BAT-FLIP ðŸ Won & Batting First
TEMP â˜€ï¸ 38#BBLFinals#BringTheHEAT#BBL12pic.twitter.com/NAQsgzJFpz
Our team for the #BBL12 Final! 🔥ðŸ†
— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) February 4, 2023
We're bowling first at #TheFurnace in front of a full house! ðŸŸï¸ #MADETOUGHpic.twitter.com/2K6of1Qlt5
6.48PM HEAT WINS TOSS
Brisbane Heat has won the toss and will bat first at Optus Stadium. Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner says he would have batted first as well.
I’m picking the Heat tonight in the BBL final. Top new ball bowlers going at it so keeping wickets in hand early is key.
— Joe Burns (@joeburns441) February 4, 2023
However, all the pressure is on Perth and I think Neser swinging around the new ball on the Optus wicket could just tip it over the edge.
Good watching
STIRRING SPEECH THAT HELPED BRISBANE’S RISE
Robert Craddock
The Brisbane Heat are about to re-enter the same Perth dressing room where one of their shining lights delivered a touching speech that forecast their rise from the ashes.
It was less than a month ago that Kiwi import Colin Munro, then a shining light in a team engulfed by darkness, was farewelled by the Heat after they were thumped by the Perth Scorchers, their rivals in the BBL final.
But Munro, just about to head off to captain the Desert Vipers in Dubai, saw something in the team it couldn’t really see in itself.
“You guys are a lot better than you think you are,’’ he said. “Just keep fighting and all this will change when you put a couple of wins together.’’
Another popular star playing his final game, England’s Sam Billings, spoke with a similar message.
The Heat then lost another match to the Scorchers in Brisbane before roaring home with seven wins from their last eight matches.
It’s quite a story as most back from the dead tales in sport normally are.
The revival is one of many threads. From opener Josh Brown who makes his own bats, to Usman Khawaja who is the form batsman in the entire Test match world, to Michael Neser who may be a fringe-dweller on the international scene but he is a totally commanding force at domestic level.
Then there’s former The Southport School and Australian under-19 left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who has been quietly improving each year.
He had the nerve and verve to deliver the single most decisive piece of advice for anyone this season when said “mate, just ramp’’ to Matt Renshaw before he played a ramp shot off the final ball which secured the four runs needed for victory against the Melbourne Stars.
Skipper Jimmy Peirson is relieved by the revival but not shocked by it.
“When I took the reins of the side two years ago this is how I pictured this team playing,’’ Peirson said.
“The side making the most of its parts. Guys coming in and out and doing their job. Guys who are not necessarily household names doing the job. It’s all romantic when you are winning but we have had some tough times …’’
So did he ever feel all was lost this year?
“When we were two from eight you ask yourself are you doing the right things in certain moments. All those things certainly creep in.
“But in the back of my mind I always knew it was such a long season. So many times when we have played finals we have got ona roll at the back end of the season.
“It is the right time to get on a roll because you carry that momentum into the final when other teams might be getting fatigued. At the start of the season it was a bit of a struggle.’’
The Heat’s revival has been one of many compelling storylines in a competition where bigger crowds, some spicy controversy and a series of close finishes have stirred interest.
Before Christmas there was talk that Cricket Australia were keen to get its next television deal done before the Big Bash just in case it had another poor season.
But like the Heat itself the competition has sprouted wings.
Munro has kept in contact with team and frequently sends messages, perhaps even one which said “I told you so.’’
UNDENIABLE VIBE WHICH GIVES HEAT A REAL CHANCE IN PERTH
The rampaging Brisbane Heat are being driven by a State of Origin underdog vibe which has hoisted them to one win away from a shock Big Bash title.
The Heat will enter Saturday’s Big Bash final against the Perth Scorchers in Perth with the blissful freedom that comes with going far further than anyone expected.
After winning just two of their first nine games the Heat were in grave danger of finishing last before storming home with seven wins in their eight matches including Thursday’s stunning upset of the Sydney Sixers.
“I feel as if we have the freedom of the underdog,’’ captain Jimmy Peirson said.
“It allows you to take a breath and do your job. Particularly for a side which is quite young and inexperienced in some places.
“The feeling around the groups is relaxed. It is not so much we have nothing to lose but we don’t have the home town pressure of having to win and smash the opposition. The pressure is on them. We are the underdogs.
“We are a Queensland team. You look at some of our best Shield wins in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were backs against the wall stuff. And of course our Origin team is how we played our sport in Queensland.
“That is what Queensland teams do and we are starting to build that culture. That grit and determination to find a way to win. It might not always be sexy and pretty but if we win, it doesn’t matter. We are starting to build a culture.’’
A key man for the Heat on a day tipped to reach 38 degrees will be speed weapon Spencer Johnson whose height, pace and swing could be a supreme challenge for the home side on the bouncy Perth deck.
Perth’s “Wild Thing’’ Lance Morris will be absent in India but the Heat will present their “Mild Thing’’ Johnson, the debonair, unruffled star who has none of the fire-breathing dragon traits of some men of his trade.
“If the ball is swinging for him it will be very interesting. He has extreme pace and got that ability to bring the ball back in to the right hander and away from the lefty. He is going to play a massive part. Early wickets in Perth have been crucial.
“If our bowlers strike early it is going to be an interesting final. Two quality bowling attacks going head to head. It is a lovely wicket once the ball stops swinging. I think it is going to be a high scoring game.’’
Pearson this season played his 100th match for the Heat and it is a measure of their struggles over the years that this is his first grand final.
“I am thrilled to finally get into a final and to do it with the personnel we have got. We are probably a bit undermanned. A few probably wrote us off.’’
The Heat have four players absent with the Australian side in India, adding the pressure on senior players such as Michael Neser and Peirson.
The Heat’s sole Big Bash title was a decade ago while the Scorchers have won four and been runners-up three times to be a constant force.
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Originally published as Big Bash final: Perth Scorchers defeat Brisbane Heat in last-over thriller
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