MELBOURNE: Batsman Jimmy Peirson’s swashbuckling half-century helped Brisbane Heat get their Big Bash League (BBL) 2024 campaign off to a winning start with a resounding eight-wicket triumph over Melbourne Stars in the fourth match of the tournament here in Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Wednesday.
Set to chase 163, the visitors comfortably beat their winning runs, losing just two wickets and 11 balls to spare, thanks to Peirson, who top-scored with an unbeaten 72 off 56 deliveries, studded with five fours and two sixes.
The wicketkeeper-batsman was involved in two crucial partnerships for the Heat, including an unbeaten knock of 78 runs with Max Bryant, who scored 36 off 22 with the help of three fours and a six.
For the Stars, captain Marcus Stoinis and Hamish McKenzie could get a wicket.
Placed first, the home team 162/6 in their allotted 20 overs despite batsman Sam Harper’s anchoring innings down the order.
Harper oversaw Stars’ batting expedition to 11th over and came back after top scoring with a 36-ball 46, which included four fours and a six.
He also shared an important 54-run partnership with batsman Joe Clarke, who scored a 23-ball 32.
After Harper’s dismissal, captain Stoinis (26), Hilton Cartwright (15) and Beau Webster (28 not out) added valuable runs at the back to push the Stars’ total past the 160-run mark.
Xavier Bartlett was the Heat’s standout bowler, taking three wickets for 25 runs in his four overs, while Tom Whitney, Matthew Kuhnemann and Mitchell Swepson contributed one wicket each.
The eight-wicket victory put the Heat in second place in the BBL 2024 standings with two points from one match, while the Stars slipped to seventh place with two defeats in as many matches.
