Twitter Reactions: Tom Banton's six-hitting spree helps Heat win the rain-affected game against the Thunder

Brisbane Heat locked horns with Sydney Thunder in the 25th match of the Big Bash League 2019-20. It was a rain-affected match and was reduced to an 8-over per side game. But, the batsmen of both the sides entertained the fans to a helm with brilliant batting display. The spectators witnessed a run-fest and got a good match to watch at Sydney Showground Stadium. Chris Lynn and Tom Banton’s blitzkrieg steered the visitors to their third win of the season.

Earlier, the Heat won the toss and elected to bat after which the rain started and delayed the proceedings. By the time it stopped, almost three hours were gone by and the game was reduced to 8-over affair. The visitors’ openers Chris Lynn and Tom Banton helped their side in getting off to a blissful start.

The right-handed opener from England showed his aggressive approach as he welcomed hosts’ bowler Daniel Sams with a six and two back to back boundaries in the first over of the innings.

Tom Banton and Chris Lynn get Brisbane off to a flying start

In the 2nd over of the innings, Chris Lynn also joined the party as he smashed three boundaries and one six off Chris Morris. The Thunders’ bowlers had no answers to the onslaught as they were getting smashed all across the park. The costliest over of the match was still due to come as Tom Banton muscled 30 runs with five consecutive sixes off Arjun Nair in the fourth over.

Later on, Chris Tremain, the fast bowler helped his side in getting the first breakthrough as he dismissed Banton, who smashed 56 runs off 19 balls with seven sixes and two boundaries. But his dismissal didn’t shift the momentum for Brisbane Heat. Lynn also played a swashbuckling knock of 31 runs off 13 balls before his innings came to a halt. The visitors successfully posted a mammoth total of 119 runs on four wickets in stipulated eight overs.

Coming onto the chase, Sydney Thunder got off to a poor start as they lost their opener, Usman Khawaja, on a score of 11 runs in the second over of the innings. He attempted a sweep off Zahir Khan but missed the ball by a small margin only to get castled. The rain again intervened in the match for some time and this time, the Thunder were 77 runs to win in five overs.

At resumption, they needed 55 runs off 17 deliveries with skipper Callum Ferguson and Alex Hales in the middle. The hosts’ batsmen were in a hurry to score runs due to which they played some mistimed strokes lost their wickets. On the other hand, disciplined bowling display by Heat bowlers helped their side in winning the cracking contest by a margin of 16 runs.

Sydney Thunder managed to score only 60 runs for the loss of four wickets and suffered their third defeat in BBL 2019-20. In the end, Tom Banton was awarded Man of the Match for his blissful knock.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

Tom Banton, what a young talent. Steal for KKR. #Bbl09

— ` (@FourOverthrows) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton Smashed 5 6s in an over

0 6 6 6 6 6

He is part of KKR in 2020 IPL#BBL09 pic.twitter.com/9ufYgvdLxQ

— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton's 16-ball half-century is the second-quickest recorded in Big Bash history.

After this man… pic.twitter.com/Mu38EUhvOu

— bet365_aus (@bet365_aus) January 6, 2020

This is absolute mad hitting by Tom Banton, took Nair to the cleaners. 5 consecutive sixes!! 50 of just 16 balls, this guy has got some real talent, can reverse sweep fast bowler and can hit beautiful orthodox shots as well.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton – Shades of Kevin Pieterson
Tim Seifert – Shades of Brandon McCullum
Devdutt Padikkal – Shades of Yuvraj Singh
Ollie Pope – Shades of Ian Bell

Any other youngster you have spotted?#Cricket

— Manish 🏏 (@IManish311) January 6, 2020

When Tom Banton’s name arrived, every team had openers, KKR didn’t so it was a steal for KKR otherwise he would surely have got around 5-8 crores

— Mitul (@Eme2ul) January 6, 2020

Tom banton from different planet

— Sakshi 🏏 (@_Sakshi16) January 6, 2020

tom banton reverse sweeping a fast bowler #bbl09 pic.twitter.com/uHi2ho6fJJ

— N (@yourstruly49_) January 6, 2020

6,6,6,6,6 and Tom Banton completes fifty from just 16 balls including 2 fours and 7 sixes. #BBL09

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton is Great buy by @KKRiders … #BBL09 #IPLAuction #iplt20 #ipl #kkr #bbl @HeatBBL

— 𝐿𝒾𝓃𝓀𝒶𝓃 𝒮𝒶𝓇𝓀𝒶𝓇 (@drlinkan1) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton is gonna be class for KKR next year

— 𝒥𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓅𝒽 🌟 (@JoeHaz12) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton is just an astonishing young player. People will find weaknesses over the next year or so, you'd think, but right now there's no better emerging T20 talent in the world.#BBL09

— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) January 6, 2020

KKR camp after watching Tom Banton's innings today in #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/ozGQd2lwS1

— Gilly Cricket🏏 (@NavjaatSPiddu) January 6, 2020

TOM BANTON 🤯 @7Cricket #BBL09 pic.twitter.com/dpI13Z7ubW

— Trent Copeland (@copes9) January 6, 2020

5 ball 5 sixes
Tom banton
U beauty
welcome 2020 ipl @KKRiders 🔥🔥🔥

— gulshad mirza (@gulshadmirza4) January 6, 2020

Tom Banton – 56(19)
Sydney Thunder – 60/4 (30 balls)

The game changing knock.

— Mitul FC (@k_vijayendra8) January 6, 2020

It'd be a heartbreaker if Tom Banton doesn't get to play much in #IPL2020 he's a crazy talented batsman. I guess I see him in English jersey for #T20WC

— Rahul Dhere (@RahulDhere3) January 6, 2020

Whole Twitter was yelling for Tom Banton but Franchise owners didn't hear that. Teams like CSK should have gone for him

— Rahul Dhere (@RahulDhere3) January 6, 2020