In a high-octane clash at The Gabba, Brisbane Heat stepped aside Melbourne Stars With four wickets in the 20th over Big Bash League|15 Just two balls behind 196 on January 2, 2026. Brisbane Heat, who won the toss and bowled first, restricted the Stars to 195/6 before embarking on a tense chase that kept 31,948 fans out. Max BryantHis unbeaten 48 off 26 balls laced with three fours and four sixes proved decisive in this pulsating encounter.
Melbourne Stars set a competitive target for Brisbane Heat
Stars made full use of the power to climb to 47 for no loss in the first four overs, reaching 195 for six after coming out with clear intent. Sam Harper A smooth 37 off 23 balls, smashing five fours and a six, set the early pace as he stitched together a 52-run opening stand. Thomas Rogerswho added 13. The partnership was broken when the sixth Thomas Balkin clean potted Harper. Marcus Stoinis He then took over with 43 off 35 deliveries Campbell Kellaway Peppered with six boundaries, he picked up the pace on 29 off just 14 balls. Their 53-run stand for the third wicket took Stars past 100 in the 11th over. Glenn Maxwell he couldn’t go.
Heat struggled mightily in the middle stages. Xavier Bartlett while, Stoinis account Matthew Renshaw and Matthew Kuhnemann providing crucial breakthroughs, triggering a slide from 113 for four to 137 for six. Tom Curran leaves for two. He returned late as stability Hilton Cartwright 26 off 20 balls and remained unbeaten Blake McDonald He exploded late, hitting 37 off 12 deliveries with four fours and two sixes. Their 58-run stand from just 19 balls took the Stars to a staggering total of 9.75 runs. Kuhnemann impressed with figures of one for 22, but the Stars’ late surge made it a tough challenge under lights.
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Max Bryant’s fiery knock leads Brisbane Heat past Melbourne Stars in BBL|15.
Brisbane Heat were rattled early on as their innings stumbled in the first over, tricking Jack Wildermuth for 15. Peter Siddle and Colin Munro for only 3, redeemed by Tom CurranSlide to 34 for 2 inside the powerplay. Skipper Nathan McSweeney He steadied the ship with 43 off 31 balls, finding solid support in Renshaw, who scored a fluent 27 off 41 balls. Together, the duo put on a 69-run partnership for the third wicket to take the Heat to 103 for 3 after just 55 overs.
When the momentum changed again Mitchell Swepson struck twice, before dismissing both set batters to leave the Heat at 107 for 4 Hugh Weibgen 109 for 5 soon followed. As the pressure mounted further Jimmy Pearson Down for 14, Haris is caught by Rauf to reduce the total to 133 for 6.
That’s when Bryant turned the game around. Bryant hit an unbeaten 48 off 26 balls, hitting four powerful sixes, including a crucial one in 17, to take the score from 150 to 16.5 overs. Bartlett made 21 not out off 9 overs, adding an astonishing 66 runs for the seventh wicket off just 20 balls. Heat reached 199 in 19.4 overs at 10.11 in 6 overs. Despite Siddle and Swepson scoring two wickets each, Bryant’s high strike rate of 184.61 stunned the Stars and saw the Brisbane Heat climb the table to their tightest finish in BBL|15 so far.
Great win for Brisbane Heat 💪🔥#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/NgTHLYezmF
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 2, 2026
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