Scorchers fight back for vital BBL win against Brisbane

AJ Tye’s quickfire 4-14 off 3.5 overs has lifted the Scorchers to a 35-run BBL win over Brisbane.

Suffocating bowling from the Perth Scorchers has delivered them a brilliant  Big Bash League win against the table-topping Brisbane Heat.

Held to a below-par 6-163 and with the Heat cruising at 1-67, the reigning champions looked destined to slump to a third loss in four games.

But pinpoint bowling from Lance Morris (3-26) and AJ Tye (4-14) turned the game on its head and fired the Scorchers to a comfortable 35-run win.

It avenges their loss to the Heat just three days ago and moves them into second on the table, keeping them in with a chance of a home final.

It was Brisbane’s first loss of the campaign, although the Heat have already booked a home semi-final, with a win taking them through to the decider.

Sitting pretty at 1-67, the Heat lost 3-17 off 26 balls to allow the Scorchers back into the game.

Brisbane’s Nathan McSweeney (three) was caught behind off Tye before a stunning leg-side take from keeper Josh Inglis to dismiss Matthew Renshaw (one) heaped the pressure on at 3-82.

Two runs later, Jimmy Peirson (42) chipped Ashton Agar to point to cap the turnaround.

Max Bryant (29 off 17 balls) slogged some late runs but it was far too little for the Heat.

Tye cleaned up the tail with three wickets in the game’s last five balls to secure victory.

Fellow bowlers Aaron Hardie (1-22) and Jason Behrendorff (1-23) were also important in tightening the screw for Perth.

Things didn’t start well for the Scorchers as they looked to defend their total, Tye dropping a tricky running catch on the third ball of the innings to give Josh Brown a chance.

He made them pay with 29 runs and left with things at 1-55 – although things quickly fell apart for the Heat after that.

Alongside his side’s bowling brilliance, Perth No.7 Nick Hobson played a key role in the win, crunching an unbeaten 48 off 30 balls to help his side post a respectable total.

Star duo Hardie (nine) and Inglis (five) failed as the Scorchers slumped to 4-49, but Cooper Connolly (35) and Laurie Evans (26) aided the recovery before Hobson’s late rally.

Heat bowler Michael Neser took 2-21, along with an outrageous diving catch while chasing the ball over his head, to get rid of Connolly.