Match Details
Update 5:30 PM IST: Perth Scorchers are the CHAMPIONS of Big Bash League season 12. This is their fifth BBL title and they have successfully defended their title.
As far as the chase is concerned, Eskinazi and Bancroft started cautiously. They did pick up the scoring rate but in the fifth over they lost Eskinazi because of his schoolboy error. Things slowed down further and soon they were three down for 54 runs on the board.
Josh Inglis and skipper Ashton Turner now had the responsibility to bring them back on track. They were slow to get off the tracks but once they went after the bowlers, it rained sixes and fours. Turner scored a stunning half-century and was well supported by Inglis who waited for his time.
The pair stitched an invaluable partnership and were on course to help Perth lift back-to-back BBL titles. Perth needed 46 runs in the final four overs. This is when Inglis decided to change gears but his plans didn’t work as Bartlett managed to dismiss him for 26 off 22. In the 17th over of the game the tide turned in favor of Brisbane Heat, they lost Inglis and in a few balls time, Turner was run-out.
Connoly and Hobson now had a big task in their hand. Connoly smoked a few biggies and was on 19 off 7 balls in no time. They needed 20 runs off 12 balls. It went write down to wire as 10 runs were needed off the 5 balls. Hobson joined the party at the right time with a biggie and a four in the final over to hand the title to Perth Scorchers.
Earlier in the day, Brisbane Heat won the toss and elected to bat first. Jason Behrendorff started off with a sensational first over where he managed to get the edge of the blade thrice but didn't have a wicket to show for it. Josh Brown was off to a flyer but in the final ball of the second over he departed after scoring 25 runs.
Heats got a great start with 41 runs on the board after 5 overs. Post that the scoring did drop for a while but once again they manage to pick the rate up. Out of the top 6 batters, 5 of them got starts but none of them managed to get a big score on the board.
In the final two overs, they failed to get going and ended up scoring 175 runs. Had they finished it off with a flyer it could have been an even better total but the six in the final delivery did help their cause.
Overall, it was a great final that ended in the final over with fireworks.