REDLAND Tigers players Sam Heazlett and Jimmy Peirson starred with the bat to help guide the Brisbane Heat to victory over the Sydney Thunder on Sunday night.
Another Redland player Marcus Labuschagne made a slowish 32 but his efforts helped the team set a base for victory after some tight early bowling by the Thunder.
Playing at Manuka Oval, Canberra, the Redland players again showed why they have had leading roles in the Heat's success this season.
Although being brittle through most of the T20 season, the Heat have come into some fine form in the run towards the finals.
Batting first, the Thunder managed a disappointing 8-158.
Thunder's Usman Khawaja attracted some wry comments after taking his pants off midway through his batting to don some protective gear over his undies. He made 28.
The Thunder's bowlers then started well, taking early wickets but as Heazlett and Peirson, 43 not out, built pressure, the Thunder attack became wayward, with a series of full tosses helping Brisbane.
Heazlett top scored with 74 not out after a slow start in the bash or crash form of the game
"We are hitting our straps at the right time," he said.
The match featured some suspect umpiring calls, with observers saying it was only a matter of time before video reviews were introduced.
Former Heat player Ben Cutting played well for the Thunder, making 34.
The Heat now face the Perth Scorchers at Manuka on Thursday night after a five-day lockdown was announced for Western Australia.
The lockdown has seen major sporting codes forced into fixture reshuffles.
The Perth Scorchers' hopes of hosting the BBL preliminary final have disappeared and the Perth Wildcats' NBL clash with the New Zealand Breakers at RAC Arena has also been called off.
The lockdown drama came after a security guard at one of Perth's quarantine hotels tested positive to COVID-19.
WA chief health officer Andy Robertson flagged on Sunday that Perth could potentially host Thursday's BBL clash without a crowd.
But with the final against the Sydney Sixers to be held at the SCG two days later, the risk of playing in Perth during a lockdown was too great, given that state borders are closing to WA.
Round two of the AFLW season will almost certainly need to be tweaked.
West Coast and Fremantle were originally scheduled to fly to Adelaide to take on the Giants and Crows respectively.
Both the Giants and Crows played the WA-based sides in Perth over the weekend, and were on track to fly to Adelaide just before the cut-off 6pm lockdown time on Sunday.
The AFLW has the option of having the Giants and Crows face off against each other in Adelaide in round two, and organise a western derby between West Coast and Fremantle in Perth if the WA lockdown is lifted after five days.
Perth's A-League team finished their three-game stint in Victoria when they played Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Sunday evening.
Glory are due to travel to South Australia to face Adelaide United on February 5, but their home game against Melbourne Victory on February 13 could be in doubt if WA's lockdown drags on.
Australian Associated Press
