Adelaide Strikers suffer playoffs blow as Brisbane Heat keep hopes alive

Heat slump to 154 all out but Strikers are unable to take advantage, losing out by 17 runs in what could be a crucial result in the top-five race

Adelaide: Brisbane Heat 154, Adelaide Strikers 137-9 - Brisbane Heat won by 17 runs

Scorecard

Adelaide Strikers suffered another setback in their bid to secure a playoff position after losing to Brisbane Heat.

Marnus Labuschagne struck 46 but Heat looked to be on the back foot after making just 154.

They lost their last five wickets for just 22 to be dismissed with three balls of their innings remaining.

Harry Conway was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 36 as Peter Siddle, Cameron Boyce and Wes Agar claimed two each.

^{Harry Conway's wickets appeared to put Heat in charge (Sarah Reed/Getty Images)}

Strikers lost Travis Head (1) in the first over of the chase and things failed to pick up.

Chris Lynn (39) and Alex Carey (2) followed in the sixth and seventh overs and 73 were needed from 46 balls when Matthew Short (39) was caught at the wicket off James Bazley.

Jason Gillespie's side went three overs without finding the boundary and by the end of the 17th had allowed the required rate to race above 15.

A wretched performance was summed up in the 18th over when Colin de Grandhomme (20) was run-out when both he and Cameron Boyce ended up at the same end attempting to run a second off a misfield.

Three wickets for James Bazley ultimately proved crucial (Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

Bazley finished with 3 for 30 before Spencer Johnson (1 for 28) and Michael Neser (1 for 30) returned to the attack to take wickets in the final two overs to wrap up victory.

Though remaining third in the table with 10 points from 11 games, level with Melbourne Renegades and Sydney Thunder having played a game more, Strikers are vulnerable to dropping out of the top five following back-to-back defeats.

Sixth-place Hobart Hurricanes are two points adrift but have two games in hand.

Heat are not yet out of contention, sitting seventh with seven points, but must surely win their final four games to stand any chance of progressing.

Related Topics

• Perth Scorchers ease past Sydney Thunder to maintain grip on Big Bash
• ACB "rethinking" Afghan participation in Big Bash following Australia's withdrawal from ODI series
• Strikers have a stinker at the MCG as Melbourne Stars cruise to Big Bash win