Twitter Reactions: Heat eliminated after Livingstone shines in Perth Scorchers' Challenger triumph

The Heat were eventually stopped at 150/9, as they lost convincingly by 49 runs, to give Scorchers their final berth.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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4 Min Read

Andrew Tye
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Andrew Tye. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

A scintillating 77 off just 39 from Liam Livingstone’s blade in tandem with Cameron Bancroft’s 58 and Mitchell Marsh’s 49 led the Perth Scorchers to roar into the BBL Finals after a solid victory over Brisbane Heat. Having inserted the Scorchers to bat, the Heat were made to pay for their decision immediately as Livingstone took the attack to Mark Steketee, hitting him for a six and four of successive deliveries in the second over.

Unmoved by the massive loss of Jason Roy, excluded at the eleventh hour due to an ankle injury, Cameron Bancroft ensured to deliver the goods for his side, assisting an unstoppable Livingstone on the other end. Despite not being a regular opener in the tournament this year, it rarely mattered for Bancroft, who looked at ease against the new ball, and joined his partner in the hitting fest in the third over, when he picked consecutive boundaries to get into the groove.

Livingstone sets up a daunting task

The duo raced off to their 50-run stand from 32 deliveries, whereas Livingstone notched up his half-century in 27. Livingstone went bonkers off a hapless Marnus Labuschagne, as he thwacked three sixes and four in a 27-run 10th over to take the Scorchers past 100. Heat subbed in Morne Morkel for Mark Steketee, and the former did not disappoint initially, giving 6 in his opening over. However, he would be taken for a toss later.

Having teed off to 77 from just 39, including a whopping six maximums and five boundaries, a century was well within Livingstone’s sight. However, Mitchell Swepson removed him in the 12th over, getting him caught at deep midwicket to end the 114-run opening stand. The Heat did manage to sneak in a couple of quiet, boundary-less overs after the Livingstone’s end, although it only took Mitchell Marsh that long to set the ball rolling for himself.

Thrashing Morne Morkel for successive fours before depositing him for a six in the 15th over, Marsh ensured that Scorchers did not throw away what they had achieved until then. The opposition did not pick another wicket as Marsh (49 from 28) and Bancroft (58 from 42) added 75 for the second wicket before rain halted their score to 189/1 with 11 deliveries remaining.

Behrendorff, Tye tighten the noose around Heat

Persistent showers meant that Scorchers could not resume, and the adjusted target for Heat was set at 200 from 18 overs. However, Scorchers’ bowlers ensured that Heat never had victory in sight. Taking note of the stiff target in front, Chris Lynn and Joe Denly gave their side a positive start, adding 37 for the first wicket in 3.5 overs. Jason Behrendorff’s double strike in the fourth over, however, snatched any momentum the Heat had managed to earn.

Joe Denly submitted a slower one to midwicket, when he was at 14, whereas his partner, Lynn, heaved hard only to miss it and hear the death rattle. Heat’s talisman from the Knockout, Sam Heazlett, failed to click as he holed out to mid-off off Hardie before Fawad Ahmed foxed Marnus Labuschagne through a googly.

Joe Burns displayed some spirit, hitting three fours and a six in his 24-ball 38, although there was hardly any support for him from the other end. Jimmy Peirson and Lewis Gregory fell in successive overs. Peirson became Hardie’s prey, giving a simple catch to Munro guarding deep midwicket, whereas Fawad Ahmed picked his second when Gregory was hit on the pads, adjudged lbw.

Hardie got another one when Xavier Bartlett holed out in the deep, whereas Ahmed, Tye, and Behrendorff returned with two apiece. The Heat were eventually stopped at 150/9, as they lost convincingly by 49 runs, to give Scorchers their final berth.

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BBL 2024-25Perth ScorchersBrisbane Heat