Cricket: Heat’s BBL run continues after Lehmann’s order to ‘get a move on’

Brisbane Heat were dawdling in the BBL final against Sydney Thunder until coach Darren Lehmann told them to get a move on. That they did and their season continues.

Brisbane Heat’s Mark Steketee runs out Brendan Doggett of Sydney Thunder at Manuka Oval. Picture: Getty Images

Brisbane coach Darren Lehmann ordered his dawdling batsmen to “get a move on” and Sam Heazlett followed the instruction to perfection as the Heat mowed down the Sydney Thunder at Canberra’s Manuka Oval to continue their cannonball run through the BBL finals.

They Heat have won three sudden-death matches on the trot to reach Thursday night’s grand final qualifier against the Perth Scorchers in Canberra after the game was moved from locked down Perth.

Sydney Thunder made an under-par 8-158 after Ben Cutting’s late 34 from 18 balls pushed them up near respectability. Heat captain Chris Lynn again went into the match with plenty of hype about his big-hitting potential but again he failed to fire, hitting a six and a four but troubling the scorers no more. The Heat have mastered the art of butchering run chases – or at least complicating them – and they were in all sorts of trouble at 2-14.

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As long as Marnus Labuschagne, the most consistent batsman in the country, was at the crease, they were a chance. And yet they were dawdling along at only five runs an over for the first 10 overs, prompting coach Darren Lehmann to tell Labuschagne and Sam Heazlett at the mid-innings break: “Get a move on. Take the game on.”

Shortly after, Labuschagne dived full length to avoid a run out. The bails came off. The umpire went to the DRS. Labuschagne said to him, “That’s real close.” He was out and the Heat seemed done and dusted for another BBL season.

Marnus Labuschagne looks dejected after being run out by Chris Green

He had made a valiant effort and at full stretch, his bat was past the crease. But it was in the air. His head hung low and then he looked to the heavens. He was gone for 32 runs from 30 deliveries, departing right when he was planning to increase the tempo but Heazlett made 74 from 49 balls and Jimmy Peirson clubbed 43 from 24 as the Heat finished 3-162 in a seven-wicket triumph.

Heat paceman Mark Steketee bowled with fire and skill to suggest he could very capably replace Mitchell Starc in Australia’s Test XI if selectors thought the big left-armer needed a spell. He was swinging the ball like it was Trent Bridge on an overcast morning and one 142km/h bouncer to Usman Khawaja was frightfully good.

He missed a hat-trick by only centimetres from an LBW shout narrowly missing leg stump. He aborted his appeal to run out Adam Milne for a diamond duck with a slick left-hand throw and finished with 2-22. Superb.

The Heat’s new-ball bowler Xavier Bartlett continued his role of delivering the first over before being substituted out of the match. Bartlett bowled a maiden and had Usman Khawaja plumb LBW … only for the umpire to give it not out in an old-fashioned clanger of a decision. With the figures of 1-1-0-0, Bartlett was on his way to the bench.

Steketee gave Khawaja a torrid time and then took the prized wicket of Alex Hales (eight from nine deliveries) from a top edge down the throat of Lewis Gregory at mid-on. Thunder captain Callum Ferguson strolled out with a yellow bottle of sunscreen in his pocket.

When he called out the 12th man to relieve him of it, for a second it looked like sandpaper gate all over again. Gregory bowled a delivery that had everyone in six stitches. A slower ball went wrong, going well over Ferguson’s head before lobbing into the gloves of Peirson. on the full.

Khawaja fell to the leg spin of Labuschagne, stumped by Peirson, for 28 from 30 balls. Heat coach Darren Lehmann said the side had an optional net session at 10am on Sunday and the first bloke on the bus was the tireless Labuschagne, who finished with 1-32.

Mitchell Swepson took 2-28, giving the Heat 3-60 from the leg spinners who have become major weapons.

Australia has extraordinary depth when it comes to wicketkeeper/batsmen. Alex Carey is the pick of the bunch and going to South Africa as Tim Paine’s understudy.

Josh Philippe is in Australia’s T20 squad but Peirson has been superb for the Heat with bat and gloves. His season rolls on.