Highest Chase Ever: Brisbane Heat chase 258 to break all-time BBL record
Brisbane Heat rewrote the history books in the Big Bash League on Friday, executing the highest successful run chase in the tournament's history by chasing down a target of 258 against the Perth Scorchers. Playing at the Gabba, the home side finished on 258 for 2 with just one ball to spare, eclipsing the previous record of 230 set by the Adelaide Strikers in 2023.
The chase began disastrously for the Heat when opener Colin Munro was dismissed for a golden duck by Jhye Richardson on the very first ball. However, Renshaw and Wildermuth responded with a counter-attack, forging a league-record partnership of 213 runs. Renshaw, who survived a catch off a no-ball when on 20, smashed 102 off 51 balls before being run out.
Wildermuth remained unbeaten on 110 off 54 deliveries, hitting the winning runs in the final over to complete the miraculous turnaround. "I still don’t really believe it. It’s a bit of a pinch-me moment, lots of goosebumps," Renshaw said after the match. "That never-say-die attitude made all the difference."
Earlier in the evening, the Perth Scorchers seemed to have batted the Heat out of the contest by posting a mammoth 257 for 6. Finn Allen, 79 off 38 and Cooper Connolly, 77 off 37; fresh off securing IPL contracts with Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings respectively, shared a 142-run stand that pummeled the Brisbane attack.
The onslaught was so severe that spinner Matt Kuhnemann conceded 60 runs in his four overs, the most expensive figures by a spinner in BBL history. Both teams combined to hit a record 36 sixes in the match.
The match was filled with dramatic subplots, including an injury to Heat skipper Nathan McSweeney, who hurt his ankle in the first innings and could not bat. Max Bryant, 28 not out, also retired hurt with a shoulder injury late in the chase.
Despite these setbacks and facing a bowling attack that included Richardson and Jason Behrendorff, the Heat managed to secure their first-ever 200-plus chase. The result now stands as the third-highest successful chase in all T20 cricket, sitting behind only the Punjab Kings' 262 in the IPL and South Africa's 259 against the West Indies.
The victory moves the Heat to a 2-258 finish, delighting the 24,277 fans in attendance. Renshaw reflected on the chaotic nature of the win, noting the luck involved with the no-ball reprieve. "It was more about taking the right options, seeing the ball and hitting it where you needed to," he explained.
"We knew the wicket was good after what they did with the bat... T20 cricket was always something people said I wasn’t very good at. So it’s nice to be able to produce something like this." The Scorchers will be left ruing missed chances in the field, including four dropped catches and 14 wides that aided the Heat's historic pursuit.
