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Brisbane Heat star Michael Neser has been lauded for one of the best fielding efforts ever seen in the Big Bash League during Wednesday night’s title win.
The Heat claimed their second BBL crown, thumping the Sydney Sixers by 54 runs in front of a largely heartbroken SCG crowd.
Batting first, the Heat put on 166 before a superb man-of-the-match-winning bowling display led by quick Spencer Johnson rolled the Sixers for just 112 in the 18th over.
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The Heat took the final two wickets in successive balls – retiring star Steve O’Keefe the last man to fall, caught by Paul Walter at mid-off.
“You beauty! I don’t want to swear, but it’s unbelievable,” Johnson said on Fox Sports.
“I owe the heat everything, coming up here last year I didn’t know where my career was going, and now I’ve just won a Big Bash with 11 of my closest mates. It’s pretty cool.”
“We’re going to enjoy this one tonight. I feel like we were the best team all year, so I think we deserve to have the medal around our necks.”
Although it was O’Keefe’s wicket that ended the match, it was Michael Neser’s effort the ball before that truly sunk the Sixers.
Sixers No.9 Sean Abbott pumped Zavier Bartlett down the ground, only for Neser to sprint around and not only take the catch, but get rid of it in mid-air above the rope.
“That’s some catch,” Mark Howard said in commentary.
Matthew Renshaw put in one of his best efforts with the bat for the season, scoring 40 off 22 balls.
“It’s pretty special … got tingles,” he said after the match.
“Especially to do it that convincingly at the SCG – the boys with the ball have been incredible all year, to defend that with ease is really special for them.
“Just a pinch me moment.”
Renshaw said he wouldn’t be letting his celebrations get too big, given he has a 10am flight to Brisbane on Thursday to be at the Gabba as 12th man in the second Test between Australian and the West Indies.
The Heat last won the BBL back in 2012-2013 – just the second year the competition had been run.
The Sixers have played in four of the last five finals, and have now lost their last two.
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