B-Mac blasts off in Big Bash
Adelaide: Brendon McCullum has stepped up for the Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Big Bash League, scoring a rapid-fire 42 before putting in a man-of-the-match effort as captain in the field.
Playing the Adelaide Strikers at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night, McCullum opened the batting for the Heat, scoring his 42 off 21 balls, including three 6s and four 4s. The knock set up the Heat’s innings with the team going on to notch an imposing total of 206-5. The Strikers were in ominous form, however, with an opening stand in pursuit of some 133 off 67 balls. McCullum was always confident of defending the Heat’s total, however, with the former Black Caps captain telling commentators in mid-match on-field interviews one wicket would make the difference.
The Strikers’ fine opening stand, led by Ben Dunk with a brutal 85 off 43 balls, was eventually broken with the pair dismissed in the space of eight balls. Dunk’s exit and McCullum’s decision to introduce West Indian spinner Samuel Badree, who stifled Travis Head with a maiden in the 14th over, halted Adelaide’s momentum, which the home side was never able to recapture.
Head (23) never quite got going, eventually top-edging a catch to Badree off leg-spinner Mitch Swepson, who bowled a fine 18th over. McCullum was tough on the Strikers with a typically aggressive captaincy, constantly making fielder and bowling changes. AAP