Twitter Reactions: Mitchell Marsh's magical knock guides Perth Scorchers to an emphatic 34-run win against Brisbane Heat

Brisbane Heat was involved in a stiff battle with Perth Scorchers at Perth Stadium in Perth. It was a high-scoring game that was won by the hosts against Chris Lynn and Co. In the high-scoring clash, Heat certainly lost their rhythm during the chase due to which they suffered a rare defeat since their last four games. The hosts won the game by 39 runs on the back of brilliant performances given by their skipper Mitchell Marsh and middle-order batsman Cameron Bancroft.

Earlier, Perth Scorchers elected to bat after winning the toss and the hosts were on fire from the beginning of the game. Their openers Josh Inglis (28 runs off 14 balls) and Liam Livingstone (39 runs off 31 balls) helped their side in getting off to a great start. The duo stitched a brilliant partnership of 39 runs in 3.2 overs of the innings. However, the dangerous-looking stand was broken by visitors’ fast bowler Josh Lalor as he dismissed Inglis.

Perth Scorchers’ skipper played fierce knock at Perth Stadium

Heat spinner then dismissed Sam Whiteman in the seventh over and the hosts were reeling on a score of 66 runs on the loss of two wickets. The left-handed batsman attempted a mistimed stroke off Zahir and was caught by Ben Laughlin at backward point. Livingstone could manage to score only 31 runs before his knock came to a halt.

Later on, a magnificent partnership between Mitchell Marsh (93 runs off 41 balls) and Cameron Bancroft (41 runs off 31 balls) helped the hosts in reviving from the early setbacks. The duo made the mockery of Heat bowlers as they were smashing them all across the park.

They stitched an unbeaten partnership of 124 runs for the fourth wicket. In the end, Scorchers successfully managed a mammoth total of 213 runs for the loss of three wickets in stipulated 20 overs courtesy to the duo’s partnership. There was no doubt about the fact that Scorchers’ batsmen outclassed Heat bowlers with sheer dominance.

Coming on to the chase, there was an expectation that Heat’s star-studded batting line up will surely give a tough fight but that was not the case. They failed to replicate their form as their opener Max Bryant quite early in the innings. He failed to anticipate the slow delivery bowled by Jhye Richardson and attempted an irresponsible stroke due to which he was caught by Chris Green at long-on.

The dynamic duo of Banton and Chris Lynn was once again on the field and Heat fans expected them to display some brilliant batting skills. However, their hopes were soon shattered as their skipper was dismissed after scoring 14 runs off Chris Jordan. But from the other end, Banton was smacking the hosts’ bowlers all across the park. He played a swashbuckling knock of 55 runs off 32 balls with two massive sixes and seven boundaries before he was sent to pavilion by Fawad Ahmed.

After the dismissal of Banton, Scorcher bowlers started taking a lead in the game as they were taking Heat wickets on a regular interval. Joe Burns also contributed well with the bat and he smashed 37 runs off 27 balls with two sixes and one boundary. However, his knock was not enough to avoid his side from suffering their fourth defeat in this season of BBL.

In the end, hosts successfully registered a convincing win by a big margin of 34 runs against Chris Lynn and Co. They also grabbed two important points that took them to the fifth position in the league table. Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh was awarded Man of the Match for his magical knock in the game.

Here is how Twitter reacted: