Left Arm Around

Josh Brown hits a stunning 140 off 57 balls in Brisbane Heat’s comprehensive 54-run victory over Adelaide Strikers at the Metricon Stadium.

They will face 3-time champions Sydney Sixers for the BBL title at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

In a knock that featured 12 sixes, a record in a BBL innings, Brown reached his century in 41 deliveries.

Only Craig Simmons in 2014 has scored a quicker BBL hundred than Brown- his ton for Perth Scorchers against Adelaide Stirkers coming from 39 balls.

Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Pope, the brilliant spin-twins of the knockout victory over Perth Scorchers, particularly struggled to contain the power of Brown as he hit sixes at will and celebrated a maiden ton in front of his mother.

Brown, 30, eventually departed when he top-edged a delivery from seamer David Payne to keeper Harry Nielsen, but his brutal display of shot-making and timing ensured the damage had already been done.

“It felt like anything he hit tonight was going for six, teammate Matt Renshaw said about Brown.

“Hopefully Wednesday night he can fire again.”

Nathan McSweeney supported Brown with a classy 33, though no other Heat batter reached double figures as they lost momentum in the final few overs of the innings.

Set an imposing 215 to win, the Strikers made the worst possible start as Spencer Johnson (3-20) removed tournament leading run-scorer Matt Short, before nicking off his namesake Darcy shortly after.

He later returned to dismiss the in-form Jake Weatherald when he stormed down the pitch and skied to Jimmy Peirson, reducing the visitors to 62-3.

‘Cowboy’ Thomas Kelly batted superbly in making a quick-fire 41, including two sixes, but his dismissal courtesy of a juggling Paul Walter catch was a real sucker punch when they looked to push on during the power-surge.

Keeper Harry Nielsen crunched seven boundaries in registering his first BBL 50, but dreams of a Strikers heist were long gone as wickets tumbled around him and their season ended with a feeble performance.

Nathan McSweeney completed the demolition job with figures of 3-3 in only five balls- Adelaide Strikers ending 54 runs short on 160 all out.