SPINNER FEELING THE HEAT AS BATSMEN CHASE RUNS
CRICKET: Not everyone at the Brisbane Heat has been in a spin over the emergence of Afghan sensation Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Mujeeb has left his Big Bash League rivals in a confused daze with his leg-spinning and off-spinning deliveries this summer.
The 17-year-old tweaker has produced tidy figures of 0-26 and 2-23 in two matches despite the Heat losing both games.
Rival batsmen are wary of Mujeeb’s hard-to-pick deliveries and have played him with caution so far.
But that’s meant the Heat’s other bowlers have had a target placed on their backs in order to compensate for slow scoring against Mujeeb.
Heat leg-spinner Mitch Swepson had a polished first match against the Strikers, going for 1-27 at the Gabba, but was tonked around Metricon Stadium by the Hurricanes.
Swepson’s 0-43 in four overs against the D’Arcy Short-inspired Hobart was a sign that he faces a challenge to bowl alongside Mujeeb in BBL08.
“I didn’t have a great night,” Swepson said of his performance against the Hurricanes.
“The more you bowl at someone the more they’ve seen you and your tricks.
“It’s a challenge I’ll have to keep working on.”
Swepson will get a chance to bounce back when the Heat face the Sydney Sixers at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast today.
His two-pronged spin alliance with Mujeeb has the potential to be a match-winning combination for the Heat if Brisbane can get their batting in order.
Brisbane captain Chris Lynn said it was up to the Heat to keep evolving to ensure their spinners aren’t targeted.
“Sweppo has taken on that challenge,” Lynn said.
“He’s bowled really well the first couple of games and we’ve seen what Mujeeb can do.
“We’ve got to keep being proactive because teams will work out how to use their batters against our two quality spin bowlers.
“We’ve got to combat that and keep thinking on our feet.”
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Heat’s women’s team have leapt to second place on the WBBL ladder after thrashing the Hobart Hurricanes by 58 runs in Launceston yesterday.
Set a gettable 139 for victory, the Hurricanes collapsed dismally, skittled for just 80 in 16.3 overs as the Heat resoundingly atoned for Sunday’s defeat, also at UTAS Stadium.
Player-of-the-match Grace Harris was miserly with 1-8 off three overs after stroking 32 at the top for the Heat while teenager Josie Dooley chimed in with an unbeaten 44 off 30 deliveries.
That helped lift Brisbane to 8-138 after the visitors at one stage lost 4-12 in three overs.
“I thought we were a bit flat yesterday. We bounced back really well today,” Harris said.