OTD| Perth Scorchers defended their title to become five-time BBL champions in 2023

Perth Scorchers have been the most dominant force in the Big Bash League. The franchise from Perth is easily the most consistent and successful side in the league. On this day last year, they added another feather in their cap with the fifth title. Perth defeated Brisbane Heat in the thrilling final to establish their dominance once again. 

Challenge from Brisbane 

The Brisbane Heat captain Jimmy Peirson won the toss and elected to bat first. There was an early setback for Brisbane but they quickly recovered as Sam Heazlett and Nathan McSweeney built an explosive partnership. However, Perth Scorchers came back into the game with a bang. They dismissed Sam Heazlett, Jimmy Peirson, and Nathan McSweeney to wrest back the momentum. 

Lower-order contributions from Sam Hain and Max Bryant helped Brisbane reach the 175-run mark. This was a challenging total for Perth to chase as the pressure in a finale takes a different toll. The tricky bowling attack of Brisbane Heat was another hurdle in Perth’s journey and the 4-time BBL champions needed to come up with a quality batting performance. 

A Nail-biter in the second innings

It was a cautious start from Perth but Brisbane Heat found a way to get early wickets. With around 50 runs on the board, Perth had lost three wickets which put them in a precarious situation. Captain Turner tried to change the course of the match and he achieved success in that pursuit. His partnership with Josh Inglis brought Perth back into the contest. But the game was not over as Brisbane tried their best to take the match down to the wire. 

Nick Hobson and Cooper Connolly were resilient enough to stick until the end and carry their team across the final hurdle to lay their hands on another title. With four balls to spare Perth Scorchers completed the run chase and achieved a piece of history as they became the first franchise in BBL to win five titles.