Tom Banton blasted the second-quickest fifty in the history of the Big Bash League as Brisbane Heat won against Sydney Thunder. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
New Delhi:
Tom Banton has been hailed as a special talent in the Twenty20 circuit. The England wicketkeeper-batsman will play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2020 edition of the Big Bash League and his hitting prowess during the Big Bash League clash between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder would have warmed the hearts of all the KKR fans who will be hoping to lift the title for the first time in six years. In a rain-affected game at the Sydney Showground Stadium, Brisbane Heat opted to bat but a rain-delay of close to two hours meant that the match was reduced to an eight-over-per-side contest.
Banton started on a rampage by hammering left-arm pacer Daniel Sams for a six and two fours as 18 runs came in the first over. In the next over bowled by Chris Morris, Chris Lynn was dropped by Sams after having being dropped in the first over by Arjun Nair and he proceeded to smash three fours and a six. Chris Green bowled a tight over in the circumstances but Banton still managed to hit a six as Brisbane Heat reached their fifty in just the third over.
However, there was carnage awaiting in the fourth over. Nair, the right-arm offbreak bowler, started well when Banton's reverse sweep found the man at backward point. Things though went downhill for Nair after that. The second ball was slog swept over deep midwicket for a big six while the third ball was miscued with enough power over long on. The fourth ball was short and Banton hammered it over deep midwicket and the fifth ball was a slog sweep over the leg side region. Banton created history and notched up his fifty off just 16 balls by hammering Nair over midwicket for the fifth consecutive six in the over.
Banton's fifty off 16 balls is the second-fastest in the history of the Big Bash League, with Chris Gayle having hit a 12-ball fifty for the Melbourne Renegades against the Adelaide Strikers in 2016. Lynn followed suit with a huge six off Chris Tremain but the bowler got the big wicket of Banton for 57 as he hit a lofted shot straight to long on.
When Brendan Doggett got rid of Lynn for 31, Sydney Thunder aimed a comeback but Max Bryant got Brisbane Heat past 100 with a four and a six. Sams got two wickets in the seventh over but Jack Prestwidge hit two fours as Brisbane Heat ended on a mammoth 119/4 after eight overs. In response, Usman Khawaja slammed a six off Josh Lalor but he was sent back by the Afghan spinner Zahir Khan. Alex Hales slammed a six but yet another rain break forced the match to be a five-over shoot-out.
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On resumption, Callum Ferguson was sent back by Ben Laughlin but Alex Hales kept the hopes alive with two boundaries. When Prestwidge sent back Morris, Sams hit a six and a four but when Prestwidge dismissed him, the end was nigh for Sydney Thunder. Ben Cutting bowled a tight over and Brisbane Heat won the contest by 16 runs via DLS method. This win makes the table more interesting as Brisbane Heat move up to jumble the third and fourth spot in the race fot the play-offs.
