After last Tuesday’s loss to the Hobart Hurricanes, the Heat’s second in the space of three days, it appeared all was lost for the season.
However, two consecutive wins over the Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers, and a run of results dropping in the Heat’s favour, has seen the club’s campaign still miraculously alive.
Here’s what needs to happen
As it currently stands, the Heat sit in sixth spot on the BBL ladder, behind the fourth placed Melbourne Stars by one point who have a game in hand, and the Sydney Thunder on net-run-rate.
The Heat will have the opportunity to move into the treasured top-four with victory over the Stars this Friday, though other results would still need to fall our way for us to stay there.
The Stars will secure a semi-final spot with victory in either of their final two games, with their final match of the season to come against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday.
With the Thunder to meet the Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday, the green men from Sydney will go above the Heat should their net-run-rate remain better than ours. It could potentially come down to how big a winning margin we can muster against the Stars.
Remaining games / ideal result for the Heat
Thursday Feb 7: Hurricanes vs Renegades – result inconsequential for Heat’s finals chances
Friday Feb 8: Heat vs Stars – Heat need to win
Saturday Feb 9: Strikers vs Scorchers - result inconsequential for Heat’s finals chances
Saturday Feb 9: Thunder vs Hurricanes – Hurricanes to win
Sunday Feb 10: Stars vs Sixers – Sixers to win
Farewell to a legend
This Friday against the Melbourne Stars, the Heat will farewell one of our favourite sons in former skipper and international star Brendon McCullum who yesterday announced that BBL|08 would be his final season in teal
‘Baz’ has had a profound effect on the Heat and the BBL with his remarkable stroke play and entertaining mindset. As one half of the ‘Bash Brothers’ and the club’s fourth-highest run-scorer, the Heat will be doing their best to ensure his Heat career sees another week.
Friday will be a great celebration of Baz’s time in teal and an opportunity for Brisbane fans to say farewell to an icon of the game.
Brendon McCullum’s Brisbane Heat Career
34 Games
920 runs
Strike rate – 137
Highest score – 72
50s - 9
Sixes hit - 39
