Setback for Roach’s Brisbane Heat in battle for semi-final

BRISBANE, Australia, CMC-West Indies pacer Kemar Roach failed with both ball and bat as his Brisbane Heat’s bid to qualify for the semi-final round of the Australian Big Bash League suffered a blow yesterday.

Heat crumbled in a five-wicket loss to Sydney Sixers at the Gabba allowing the world club Twenty20 champions, to resurrect their ailing Big Bash campaign.

The Sixers top order picked apart the home side’s new-ball attack and cruised to victory at 128 for five in the 19th after the heat was restricted to 127 for nine.

Roach , who took no wickets, scored a duck and was the last man out for the Heat.

He cleared his hip and slogged the last delivering of the innings into the sky for Michael Lumb to hold on to a difficult catch after moving around to get underneath the ball.

The Heat paid the ultimate price after Lumb, an English opener, was dropped in the outfield by Roach who finished the match with four overs, 23 runs and no wicket.

Lumb was unbeaten on 61 after guiding sixers to victory.

The Heat needs a last-round win, against the Hurricanes and other results to go their way to make the top four.
Sixers, who registered their third straight win, are back in the mix for a semi-final spot with one round to go.