T20 cult hero Dan Christian has announced his retirement from cricket.
The Sydney Sixers all-rounder took to social media on Saturday to share his decision.
In a tweet captioned ‘Some news’ with a smiley emoji, the post read: “Yesterday at training I told my Sydney Sixers teammates that I’ll be retiring from playing at the end of the BBL season.
“Hopefully we can go all the way this season, but regardless it’s been a great run.”
The 39-year-old finished his tweet with: ‘I’ll reserve some thank you’s for after my last game (whenever that may be), but in the meantime, go the Sixers!”
Christian has played 405 T20s scoring a massive 5809 runs and taking 280 wickets. He represented Australia at both ODI and T20 level, played for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the IPL, as well as played for three different Big Bash teams over his 11-year career.
Heat hold off David’s best, shoot to fifth
The surging Brisbane Heat have shot to fifth on the Big Bash League ladder with a third-straight win.
Setting Hobart 163 for victory on Friday, the Heat looked home until Tim David teed off in a 20-run 18th over.
With the Hurricanes needing 18 off the last over, 27-year-old rookie quick Spencer Johnson (1-22 off four overs) held his nerve.
Three times David (44 off 27) was beaten, the big-hitter unable to find the rope and the Hurricanes finishing 12 runs short to allow the Heat to jump them and the lagging Adelaide Strikers into fifth.
The Heat host the stars on Sunday and have one hand on a ticket to the five-team finals series.
Player of the match Michael Neser (3-27) was again influential while James Bazley chimed in with the big wicket of Matthew Wade (45), who couldn’t get going on a slow Gabba wicket.
“I’ve changed my mindset a bit, to be more attacking and look to take wickets rather than go straight to defence,” Neser, who has 18 wickets in 10 innings this season, said.
He said captain Usman Khawaja’s return had been a key reason for their resurgence, with his ability to keep Johnson calm and focused in the final over crucial.
Matt Renshaw continued his hot summer with a Heat-high 41 off 31 balls and three tight overs of off-spin that yielded a wicket and just 12 runs.
He created pressure that led to Wade’s wicket and left Hobart on the ropes.
David wasn’t daunted though, hitting two of the four sixes across the night as he stopped taking singles and targeted maximums with three overs still to bat.
“Absolutely, I was backing myself in,” David said.
“I think they were under par. It was a good pitch to bat on, we just couldn’t get the runs we needed.
“But two more wins, we’re right up there.”
The Heat scrambled to 6-162 thanks to 11 Hobart wides and the Hurricanes were sluggish early too after Neser knocked over Ben McDermott for a golden duck.
Even still, they only needed about nine an over at the halfway point to notch their first away win of the season.
Regular wickets hurt them though, before David took it upon himself to lift the Hurricanes over the line.
But he didn’t count on Johnson’s composure, the left-armer producing accurate 145kph thunderbolts under immense pressure.
It continued the South Australian’s breakout season after injury cruelled his initial foray into top-level cricket seven years ago.
Scorchers smash Strikers
The rampant Perth Scorchers have consolidated top position on the BBL ladder after emphatically dismantling the Adelaide Strikers by seven wickets at Adelaide Oval.
After the Strikers were skittled for a measly 92 on Friday afternoon, in-form Aaron Hardie (43) made light work of the modest chase, helping the top-of-the-table Scorchers (10-3) to an early finish with 53 deliveries to spare.
The Strikers managed to last only 17 overs thanks to a combination of horrific shot selection and some clinical bowling and outstanding fielding from the Scorchers.
Adelaide’s fourth successive defeat will see them drop out of the top five, regardless of the result of the clash between the Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat.
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Legspinner Peter Hatzoglou (3-14) and speedster Lance Morris (3-26) both produced career-best hauls after left-armer David Payne (3-20) ravaged the Strikers’ top order.
Aaron Hardie. (Photo by Will Russell – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
“It’s always nice to win,” Hatzoglou said.
“To do it in that fashion is really special and we’ll cherish it going into the finals.
“It’s nice to have that sort of form going into the finals.
“Hopefully we can go (win) back-to-back (titles) this year.”
English import Adam Hose (30) was the only Striker to look remotely up to the task of quelling the rampant Scorchers’ attack.
Golden Bat leader Matt Short (duck), captain Travis Head (nine), promoted No.3 Thomas Kelly (nine) and wicketkeeper Alex Carey (one) all succumbed meekly as the Strikers plunged to 4-22 just after the powerplay.
After starring throughout Australia’s summer of Test domination, Head has managed just 15 runs at an average of five since rejoining the out-of-form Strikers.
Catching practice appeared the order of the day as the soft dismissals continued, Hose spooning a return to Payne after the Strikers belatedly took the power surge in the 15th over, the wickets continuing to tumble.
Cameron Bancroft (seven) was run out in the second over of the Scorchers’ reply and fellow opener Stephen Eskinazi (17) was smartly stumped by Carey off wrist-spinner Cameron Boyce (2-12).
Hardie, fresh off his career-high 90no in Perth’s win over the Hurricanes on Wednesday, continued his run of hot form.
He and Josh Inglis smoked three sixes off Colin de Grandhomme’s sole over, before Hardie hole out to a juggling catch from Harry Nielsen with the finish line in sight.
“As funny as it sounds, technically we’re not out of it,” Boyce said optimistically.
“We obviously need to win in Melbourne (against the Renegades at Marvel Stadium next Tuesday) and hopefully (other) results go our way.
“It happens in T20 cricket sometimes … you get in that hole and it keeps spiraling.
“They (Scorchers) are a world-class bowling line-up.”
