Heat reach BBL final after stunning Sixers by four wickets

Brisbane Heat secured their place in the Big Bash League (BBL) final where they face Perth Scorchers after a hard-fought four-wicket victory over a fancied Sydney Sixers side yesterday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.After restricting the hosts to a modest 116-9 in their 20 overs courtesy of a miserly 3-17 by spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, the Heat battled their way to 117-6 with 10 deliveries to spare."We’re a Queensland team and the great Queensland teams, when their backs are against the wall, they find a way to win. It’s something we’ve tried to (grow) within our psyche,” said Brisbane captain Jimmy Peirson.With batsmen Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne in India with Australia’s Test squad, it was left to domestic player of the year Michael Neser (48 not out) to steer the run-chase after the Heat middle order collapsed and the side reeled at 56-5.The knockout match remained in the balance until Neser released the pressure that had been building by peeling four successive boundaries off seamer Hayden Kerr in the 16th over.The lowly total appeared enough until Neser hit a BBL career-best 48 not out off 32 balls to mow down the target with 10 balls to spare as Heat’s remarkable rejuvenation continued.Having won seven of their last eight games, including previous road finals against Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades, Heat are on the brink of an unlikely second BBL title.Having studied Sixers’ innings, Heat wisely decided to go for broke against the new ball, with opener Josh Brown hitting two sixes off Steve O’Keefe.Playing his first match of the season, filling the shoes of Khawaja, Sam Heazlett wasn’t fazed and smashed a boundary off his second delivery before hitting a six over deep square leg off seamer Sean Abbott.But disaster struck on the next delivery when Heazlett was run out after running on an overthrow to spark a collapse for Heat. Much like Sixers’ batters, Heat struggled to score and slumped to 56 for 5 before Neser and recalled Max Bryant rallied with a 30-run partnership.Bryant threw his wicket away in the power surge, but Neser continued to hold his nerve and blasted four consecutive boundaries off seamer Hayden Kerr in the 16th over to spectacularly swing the match. The Heat now travel to Western Australia to face defending champions Perth Scorchers in tomorrow’s decider.BRIEF SCORES: Brisbane Heat 117 for 6 (Neser 48*, Brown 20, Naveed 2-28) beat Sydney Sixers 116 for 9 (Hughes 23, Patterson 19, Kuhnemann 3-17, Johnson 3-28) by four wickets.