TOOWOOMBA BOWLER CLAIMS BIG SCALP
Toowoomba’s Brendan Doggett won’t forget his Big Bash League debut any time soon.
Aside from being part of a triumphant Brisbane Heat side, the fast bowler also claimed a massive scalp.
Defending 207, the Heat tore into the Melbourne Stars early, reducing the visitors to 3-38 in the fifth over.
After opening bowler Josh Lawlor claimed Stars opener Ben Dunk with just the second ball of the innings, Doggett piled on the pressure in the third over.
After attempting to soften up former England international Kevin Pietersen with a short ball that was hit for six, the young fast bowler soon got his revenge.
Chasing a length ball outside off stump Pietersen found Heat skipper Brendon McCullum who made a sharp catch at wide mid-off.
Doggett finished with figures of 1-27 off his three overs and took two catches, one of which helped Warwick bowler Mark Steketee (1-39) claim his sole wicket of the match.
The Heat were sent into bat by Stars captain John Hastings and they sparked their innings with 24 runs from the third over. Another 23 runs came from the 11th over.
McCullum (40 from 22 balls) and Burns (50 from 28) fuelled those blasts while Alex Ross (51 from 36) played a valuable hand.
Burns and Ross combined for an 82-run stand from only 48 balls, featuring five fours and five sixes.
Ben Cutting’s late rush (35 from 18) propelled the Heat to 7-206 from 20 overs.
With the Stars in trouble early Marcus Stoinis tried gallantly to steer his side to victory.
He smashed 99 from 51 balls, including six fours and six sixes, and missed his century by centimetres when run out in the final over.
The Stars had needed 24 runs from the final over for victory but they finished on 6-191, handing the Heat a 15-run victory.