Adelaide Strikers go top with convincing win

Mahela Jayawardene scored a breezy half-century. © Getty

Brisbane Heat's slim chances of making the semi-finals vanished in front of a record Gabba crowd as they lost by eight wickets to a near-perfect Adelaide Strikers on Friday (January 8). Strikers moved to the top of the table by making short work of their target of 176, with each of their top three contributing breezy half centuries.

Man of the match Mahela Jayawardena's silky strokes and deft touches were on display as he raced on to 20 from eight balls with a couple of sixes and a four in the second over. He pulled a muscle shortly after that early blitz and received some treatment, but that hardly slowed him down. The Sri Lankan brought up his second successive half-century in the 10th over before he was trapped in front of the stumps by Samuel Badree.

Travis Head, who walked out next, raced to a 25-ball 50 before getting out in the 17th over. The in-form left-hander smashed four sixes and a four in his whirlwind knock. Opener Tim Ludeman remained unbeaten until the end on 57 with five boundaries.

Asked to bat first, Brisbane Heat lost their overseas star Lendl Simmons in the second over. That brought the tournament's leading run-getter Chris Lynn out to the middle and it took him just five balls to score his first boundary which was followed by two more. Adil Rashid, who has been in tremendous form this season, removed Lynn in his very first over for 34. Opener Jimmy Peirson carried on to register a 36-ball 51 that included three hits over the fence.

From there on, Nathan Reardon's unbeaten 40 and James Hopes' little cameo carried the Heat to 175. Rashid ended up with figures of 2 for 17 off his four overs.

The bottom-placed Heat will now come up against the Sydney Sixers who are just one spot above them. Strikers, on the other hand, will host the Hobart Hurricanes in their next game.

Brief scores: Brisbane Heat 175 for 6 (Jimmy Peirson 51, Nathan Reardon 40*, Adil Rashid 2-17, Travis Head 1-12) lost to Adelaide Strikers 179 for 2 (Tim Ludeman 57*, Jayawardene 53, Samuel Badree 1-25) by 8 wickets.