Clinical bowling helped Brisbane Heat restrict Sydney Sixers to 156, in their chase of 163 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday (January 10), to register their second victory in Big Bash League (BBL) 2015-16. However, the narrow six-run margin of victory meant the visitors remained at the bottom of the points table.Last year's runner-up, Sixers were facing bottom-placed Brisbane in a must-win clash to keep their campaign alive, but remained unsuccessful in front of a packed home crowd. Set to chase 163, Sydney had a shaky start, losing their opener Ed Cowan in the third over and No. 3 bat Nick Larkin in the eighth. The move to promote Sean Abbott up the order failed to click as the all-rounder was run out for 1, leaving the home team reeling at 50 for three.Michael Lumb and Brad Haddin took it upon themselves to reconstruct the chase. The duo played freely, adding 49 in a partnership that lasted 31 deliveries. Lumb was the first to depart of the two, yorked by Folors three short of a deserving fifty, leaving Sixers another 64 short of the target with 37 balls remaining.
Haddin got a reprieve when Mitchell Swepson grassed a dolly in the long-off region. The Sydney Sixers skipper picked a lucky boundary next as Lendl Simmons misjudged a catch that spilled and crossed the ropes. Third time unlucky, however, Haddin had to depart as Swepson mad amends with a stunning diving catch to his right to end his fireworks on 42.
