"Live" Halftime Recap - Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers @ The Gabba
Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers 5/156 (20 overs)
Mills Cranks It Up On Debut
I hadn't seen much of Tymal Mills before he debuted for the Heat tonight. However, he certainly cranked things up in his opening three overs. Mills bowled in the mid-140s and offered up a lot of lip service to the likes of Michael Klinger and Sam Whiteman. Whilst he was a little unlucky to not pick up a wicket, perhaps he did get a little bit predictable and carried away with the short ball. Mills has had issues with his back, with his spinal cord and vertebrae unusually close together, which has seen him have to deal with injury setbacks. Despite being just 24, Mills has talked about perhaps dedicating himself to white ball cricket alone in the near future, as he tries to get the best out of his body. He will be using this stint with the Heat to try and get back in the English T20 team, having played just one T20 International against Sri Lanka in June.
Heat's Attack Improving With Each Game
Many young bowlers have looked a bit like rabbits in the headlights at times through the BBL this year. T20 cricket is geared towards batsmen with flat pitches and small boundaries. Many BBL teams have chopped and changed their attacks to try to find the right formula or the right combinations of bowlers. However, Brendon McCullum has stuck solid through with his young chargers, and it's obvious that this has bred confidence, trust and greater execution. McCullum talked to the commentators about his relaxed approach and trying to ease pressure on young players to perform. The Heat's trio of Mark Steketee, Jake Wildermuth and Mitchell Swepson really struggled in the Heat's season opener against the Strikers at Adelaide Oval. The Heat won the game but conceded 195 and I thought they looked in for a long hard season with the ball, having plenty of bowlers without much experience. However, with each game they have improved as a unit and, despite the absence of Samuel Badree, they have limited Perth to moderate scores on both occasions. Steketee, Wildermuth and Swepson are not only taking wickets; their economy rate and execution are improving each game. The Heat looked like a bit of a team of individuals last year, and in the first game this year, but it's clear under McCullum they are really gelling as a unit.
Scorchers' Batting Power Play A Problem
The Scorchers have now completed six innings with the bat in BBL6, and their highest score in the batting Power Play was 1/56 in their opening game against Adelaide. Since then they have managed three efforts in the 30s, 1/39 after 6 overs against both the Heat in Perth and the Renegades in Melbourne, and 2/36 after 6 overs against the Sixers at the SCG. They managed 1/47 against the Thunder and tonight they scratched out 2/40 in the opening 6 overs against the Heat. While solid starts have proved a winning formula for Perth in three of their five games, I think they might be being left behind by a few of the more explosive sides this year. Of course it isn't helping that Shaun Marsh is yet to make 20 after five games. He used to be their anchor who could up the tempo, and the rest of the side would bat around him. Plus, without Brad Hogg, I don't think the Scorchers are the sure thing they used to be when they posted those mid-range scores in the 160's and 170's. I still think Perth will sneak into the finals, however I think they are looking a bit vulnerable this year.
Gabba Produces A Different Type of Bowling Strategy
One of the things that's interesting about following the BBL is the different types of tactics employed by bowling sides to correlate with the specifics of the venue. There is a lot more that goes into planning than simply trying to work out an individual batsman's strengths and weaknesses. The ground dimensions also play a massive role, with the Gabba having a notoriously short boundary at the Vulture Street end. Twenty-six 6's have been hit at that end, compared to ten at the other end, throughout BBL6. Sides often use plenty of slower ball bouncers and shorter balls, and try to protect the much longer square boundaries of The Gabba. Tonight, the Heat did this extremely effectively, limiting the number of boundary balls and stifling the Scorchers' batsmen in the middle overs. Whilst the short ball assault is employed far more often in Brisbane, and in the wider square expanses of the MCG, it would be far less effective at grounds like Adelaide and Blundstone. At those grounds, some of the square boundaries are less than 60 metres, while the straight boundaries are over 70 metres. Teams will employ a lot fuller attack generally at those grounds and resort to the death bowling of yorkers a lot earlier in the innings.
Lurker Struggling in 2017
It's been a real struggle for The Lurker in 2017. In 2016 he was seeing them like beachballs, having won 10 from 11 starts. However, he has been mixing his form this year and is trading wins and losses. The Lurker stuck solid with Perth tonight, however Shaun Marsh let him down again, and at halftime the Heat would have to be slight favourites to get the chocolates. Will the Lurker drop his 8th game or will he bounce back with back-to-back wins?