GOLD COAST, Australia, CMC – Former West Indies Twenty20 captain, Carlos Brathwaite, snatched a four-wicket haul as Sydney Sixers returned to the top of the Big Bash League standings with a three-wicket victory over Brisbane Heat in a last-ball thriller here Sunday.
The 32-year-old pacer finished with four for 18, a spell which restricted Heat to 148 all out off their 20 overs after they were sent in at Carrara Oval.
Former Australia one-day batsman Daniel Christian then struck a nerveless, unbeaten 61 to put Sixers over the line, striking a boundary off the last ball of the game with his side needing a single run to win.
The victory saw Sixers overtake previous leaders Sydney Thunder for the top spot on 25 points, two clear of their cross-town rivals.
Heat, third from the bottom on 16 points, entered the contest needing a win to move up the tables but struggled with the bat, with only captain Chris Lynn with a solid 56 showing any enterprise.
The innings slumped to 43 for three in the seventh over with fast bowler Jackson Bird (2-22) removing Max Bryant (10) and Joe Denly (7) cheaply, and Brathwaite accounting for Joe Burns to a catch at the wicket for seven.
Lynn, who features for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, then anchored a 51-run, fourth wicket stand with wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson (16), striking seven fours and a six in a 44-ball knock.
Seamer Jake Ball (3-25) removed Pierson to break the stand and Brathwaite grabbed his second when he claimed the important wicket of Lynn in the 16th over, holing out to deep mid-wicket.
In all, the last seven wickets tumbled for 54 runs despite Lewis Gregory’s 15-ball 26, with Brathwaite adding two more to his tally, to finish with his best bowling performance of the tournament.
In reply, Sixers then slumped to 54 for four in the ninth over as off-spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (2-16) and seamer Jack Wildermuth (2-26) tore through the top order.
However, Christian combined with captain Daniel Hughes (51) in a 72-run, fifth wicket partnership to stabilise the run chase.
Christian belted three fours and five sixes in a 38-ball knock while Hughes counted six fours in a measured 35-ball innings before dragging seamer James Bazley (2-17) to long on in the 17th over.
Brathwaite perished in the 18th for two to a catch at deep backward square and but with 10 needed from the final over, Christian held his nerve perfectly.
