Chris Lynn was on fire as Brisbane Heat resumed their victory march after a slight hiccup in their previous game. The no. 3 batsman made an unbeaten 98 off just 49 balls including 11 sixes, combining with skipper McCullum in a 148 run stand.
Chasing 174 for victory, Brisbane Heat was least troubled as they started their innings with a six, with Pierson hitting David Willey over fine leg. Lynn and McCullum took over after his dismissal and made light work of the target, chasing it down in 14.4 overs.
Earlier, Mitchell Marsh had brought some respectability to Perth Scorchers total by making a handy 71 that included some lusty, powerful blows. However, the all-rounder could not match the sheer hitting prowess of Lynn as his team surrendered to a 9 wicket loss.
Brief Scores: Perth Scorchers 173/6 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 71, Swepson 2/27) lost to Brisbane Heat 174/1 in 14.4 overs (Lynn 98, McCullum 50)
Result: Brisbane Heat win by 9 wickets
Take a glance at the best moments from the game.
#5 Shaun Marsh eases in but plays a slow innings
After injury sidelined him from the Australian Test squad and the start of the BBL, Shaun Marsh was back for Perth Scorchers with a 32 that came in as many balls. The southpaw took his own sweet time to settle in as he brought the run rate down.
He took 5 balls to get off the mark after being beaten outside his off-stump by Mark Steketee off his first ball. His first two boundaries came off edges as he looked rusty coming off a long break. A thumping pull off Cutting in the eighth over seemed to have made him more comfortable but he was dismissed soon after.
He tried to loft Swepson and ended up edging it to long on where Buchanan held on. Marsh is facing a stiff challenge to get back into the Aussies Test team with Renshaw cementing his spot with an 184 two days back.
#4 Mitchell Swepson bowls a tidy spell
Brisbane Heat's leggie, Mitchell Swepson had bowled well against Sydney Sixers two days back taking 2/25 in his four-over spell. He seemed to have carried on that rhythm into this game, conceding just 16 in his first three overs and taking two wickets.
Swepson dismissed a rejuvenated Ian Bell, inside edging onto his pads on its way to the keeper and then deceived Shaun Marsh with a flighted ball that was lofted straight to long on. He tied down an end and cut down scoring with his variations.
Swepson has been a good addition for Brisbane Heat with his ability to break partnerships. Had he not bowled a rank long hop to Turner that went for a six in his final over, his figures would have been much better.
#3 Mitchell Marsh sizzles
The other Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, dropped from the Test as recently as last month helped the Scorchers to a formidable score as he made a quick fire 71 off a mere 41 balls.
The all-rounder was in a rampant mood as he started the innings with a powerful pull off Cutting. He combined with his brother to slaughter Buchanan, who was pumped for a six and four off consecutive balls.
A 102-metre six off Wildermuth followed as he raced past his half-century. He then smoked Steketee over long on before falling to him the very next ball, but not before he had made a more than useful 71.
#2 McCullum fires again
Brendon McCullum has been having a good run for Brisbane Heat of late. The Heat captain turned on the heat pounding a 31-ball 50 alongside a belligerent Chris Lynn to help Brisbane ease past their target.
McCullum got into his groove by smacking Willey for a four off a no ball and then punishing the free hit with a humongous six. He was then virtually pushed to the background as Lynn took charge with some clean hitting.
The Kiwi batsman played second fiddle with ease getting Lynn on strike as much as possible. He remained unbeaten on 50 in a crushing 148 run stand for the second wicket.
#1 Chris Lynn's New Year begins with late fireworks
Chris Lynn set the stadium alight with some of the cleanest hitting in recent memory. He remained unbeaten on 98, agonisingly short of a well deserved century, as Brisbane Heat crushed Perth Scorchers.
Lynn smoked as many as 11 sixes, hitting at a strike rate of 200. He was cruel on Mitchell Johnson hitting him for three sixes, two of which came off successive balls in the 9th over. Mitchell Marsh, who had shone with the bat earlier, was at the receiving end of yet another pair of sixes in the 11th over.
Lynn finished the game in style hitting Ashton Agar out of the park with two sixes as he remained unbeaten on 98 and Brisbane Heat chased down the target in 14.4 overs.
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