Simmons, Sammy both sparkle but Heat, Hobart have contrasting fortunes

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Lendl Simmons turned around his indifferent form with a half-century to help power Brisbane Heat to victory but Darren Sammy’s late cameo was not enough to get Hobart Hurricanes over the line in the Big Bash League here yesterday.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Heat rattled up 162 for eight off their 20 overs and then restricted Sydney Sixers to 156 for eight, to come away with a narrow six-run win.

The right-handed Simmons was at the heart of Heat’s enterprise, carving out 54 from 30 deliveries with nine fours and a six, to help pull his side around from 34 for two in the fifth over.

With three noughts in his last four outings, Simmons put his head down to post 73 for the third wicket with Joe Burns who top-scored with 60 off 50 balls with three fours and three sixes.

Simmons was eventually out in the 13th over with the score on 107 for three, picking out Doug Bollinger at long off with off-spinner Johan Botha.

In reply, Sixers failed to reach their target despite a knock of 47 from opener Michael Lumb and 42 from wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

In Hobart, Sammy very nearly snatched a dramatic win for Hurricanes before Perth Scorchers held their nerve in a tense affair at the Bellerive Oval.

Chasing 174 to win, Hurricanes ended on 172 for six off their 20 overs, with Sammy belting 28 not out off a mere 12 deliveries.

They were seemingly out of it at 132 for five in the 18th over until Sammy arrived to lash two fours and two sixes, in a 36-run stand off 15 balls for the sixth wicket with Jonathan Wells who made 20 from ten balls.

Requiring 16 from the final over bowled by pacer Andre Tye, Sammy gathered four runs from the first two balls before smashing the third ball over cover from six.

Needing a six off the final delivery, Sammy struck Tye straight for four as Hurricanes missed out.

Captain and opener Tim Paine top-scored with 57 off 47 balls.

Scorchers had earlier reached 173 for five off their 20 overs with English left-hander Michael Carberry getting 62 from 35 deliveries