BBL7 - Stars v Heat Recap - My 5 Takes

1. Heat Annihilate Stars
 
The Brisbane Heat demolished the Melbourne Stars last night at the MCG by nine wickets to grab their third win from five games this season. The "bash brothers," Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn, made light work of the target, both scoring half centuries, as the Heat reached their target of 142 in just the 14th over. McCullum scored 61 from just 30 balls, whilst Lynn remained unbeaten on 63, as the new opening pair easily chased down a paltry total from the Stars. For the Stars, only Glenn Maxwell with 50 managed any real resistance as their big name batting line up failed to fire once again. Mitchell Swepson was outstanding, claiming 3/14 from his 4 overs. The Stars now drop to 0-3. 

2. Swepson Puts His Name up in Lights

 The Heat’s leg spinners, Mitchell Swepson and Yasir Shah, put on a masterclass of slow bowling last night, as they totally dominated an imposing Stars’ batting line up. Swepson put himself firmly in the frame for an Australian T20 position with 3/14 from his four overs, claiming the key wickets of openers Ben Dunk and Luke Wright, as well as catching Rob Quiney from his own bowling. Swepson bowled intelligently by aiming at leg stump and not bowling too full with the shorter straight boundaries. With Australia’s white bowling spinning ranks well and truly wide open, it was a great time to put in an eye catching performance. 
 
3. Heat Make a Change at the Top
 
They’re so explosive, the Brisbane Heat, that they can be a bit all or nothing as a team. We have already seen them suffer two pretty heavy defeats, but also blow their opposition away as they did last night against the Stars. I thought it was a great move from Brendon McCullum to partner himself with Chris Lynn at the top of the order. In a T20 game you want your best players facing as many balls as possible, and Lynn looked right at home opening the innings, with their next best batsman Joe Burns coming in at Number 3. Jimmy Peirson has done a reasonable job over the years; however he is not in the same class as the Heat Top 3 of McCullum, Lynn and Burns. 

 
4. Stars Looking Listless 
 
The Stars are a side that have now lost their last six matches as a franchise, if you include their final three games of BBL6. This was another limp performance from a side with arguably the best line-up in the competition, who are simply not firing at the moment. The Stars have a big name batting line-up, however most of them appear to be playing quite tentatively and without the confidence we are used to seeing. Sometimes when your team is struggling, rather than go into your shell and try and construct an innings, it is best to try and play as loosely and as freely as possible, and coach Steven Fleming hinted at that in a post match interview. With the 10-game format this year, the Stars are not quite dead in the water. However they desperately need a win in their next game.

5. Stars Need A Change At the Top

I just wonder whether the Stars should be thinking of a similar shake up at the top of their order. Last year Rob Quiney was one of the players of BBL6 at the top of the order. However, he has been shifted all the way down to Number 6 with the arrival of Ben Dunk in the off-season.  Dunk looks out of sorts and is yet to reach double figures through three games, whilst fellow opener Luke Wright continues to struggle. Quiney played reasonably freely last year, with the ability to clear the leg side field at will, and I think the Stars need someone who can come in and play confidently, without much to lose, to turn around the fortunes of this team.