LIVE: The Brisbane Heat travel to the SCG on Thursday night (7.15pm AEDT) for a blockbuster BBL ‘Challenger’ final, with a place in Saturday’s Final against the Scorchers up for grabs.
The teams have met once this season, with the Heat coming out on top at the Gabba after a stunning demolition from rookie Josh Brown – and that contentious boundary-rope catch from Michael Neser. Their second meeting was washed out days later at North Sydney Oval. Now the Sixers are out for a revenge against the only team they haven’t beaten this season – and a chance to make up for their loss to the Scorchers on Saturday.
Both sides are without a host of Test stars, with the Sixers missing Steve Smith and the Heat losing captain Usman Khawaja, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne and Mitch Swepson.
But Khawaja told his teammates it ‘wasn’t just the Test blokes’ who got them to this position.
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Heat keep hot streak going against Gades | 03:48
“The blokes coming in have performed throughout the tournament,” BBL team-of-the-year quick Michael Neser said after beating the Renegades on Sunday.
“’Uzzy’ (Khawaja) did leave us with a little nugget at the end when he mentioned that it wasn’t just the Test blokes that have performed this tournament, we’ve all performed.
“The one thing that we’ve done lately is somebody has always put up their hand to win the match.”
Neser already has 24 wickets in his best BBL season so far, putting him just three short of 100 career BBL wickets – a mark he’ll be desperate to reach on Thursday night.
But a former Australian selector has also earmarked a left-arm pace spearhead for a key role in the Challenger.
Spencer Johnson has been sending down 145km/h and tormenting batters for the Heat this season, a huge reason for the Heat’s late-season success.
And Andy Bichel – a 19-cap Test quick and former selector – has tipped Johnson to be an ‘ideal replacement’ for Mitch Starc should the superstar opt to retire from T20 internationals.
“Mitch (Starc) has murmured recently about what formats are important to him and if he decided he did not want to play T20 cricket Spencer would be an ideal replacement,’’ Bichel told News Corp.
“That is how I see him making it. He has got the skills for that. He could be a like for like replacement in that (like Starc) he can come around the wicket and bowl those yorkers.’’
“The English talk it out it all the time – bowlers who are in eye-line and out of eye line. He is out of eye line.’’
Host of stars missing for Heat | 00:55
TEAM NEWS
The Heat are boosted by the return of injured English import Ross Whiteley, but will need sweeping changes to their squad after losing their Test quartet.
All-rounder Nathan McSweeney returns to the team as a Local Replacement Player, having played three matches early in the season. But batsman Sam Heazlett, pacemen Mark Steketee and Will Prestwidge and all-rounder Jack Wildermuth are all included in the squad – with none of the trio having played this season.
For the Sixers, veteran batter Daniel Hughes is set to replace Steve Smith in what will be his first match in a month. Hughes, a key player for the Sixers last season, has managed just three matches this season.
‘Bloody oath there’s nerves’: Sixers gun’s brutal task to replace Smith
Heat squad: Jimmy Peirson (c), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Sam Hain (England), Sam Heazlett, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Will Prestwidge, Mark Steketee, Ross Whiteley (England), Jack Wildermuth.
Sixers squad: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Josh Kann, Hayden Kerr, Izharulhaq Naveed, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk
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