West Indian batsman Kieron `Polly’ Pollard played a cracker as the Adelaide Strikers set Brisbane Heat 186 runs to win Thursday night’s Twenty20 Big Bash League match in Adelaide.
The Strikers made 8-185 with Pollard’s whirlwind 48 from 23 balls, including three sixes and five fours, overshadowing teammate Callum Ferguson’s polished 52 from 36 deliveries.
Crafty Sri Lankan medium-pacer Thisara Perera took three wickets, as did paceman Alister McDermott.
The Strikers slumped to 3-35 in the fifth over after McDermott took two early wickets.
But Adelaide pair Ferguson and Nathan Reardon (25 from 23 balls) steadied the home side with a brisk 55-run partnership from the next seven overs.
The Strikers were 3-68 at the midway point against a Brisbane outfit missing West Indian strike bowler Kemar Roach, who only arrived in Australia earlier Thursday after a series of delayed flights.
Roach’s compatriot Pollard came in at 4-90 in the 12th over and, less than six overs later, departed after his punishing knock with the Strikers 5-163.