Big Bash League: Perth Scorchers even ledger with Boxing Day thrashing of Brisbane Heat

The Scorchers’ fortress remains firm as Perth evened their season ledger with an impressive Boxing Day thrashing of reigning champions Brisbane Heat by 33 runs.

A savage exhibition of fast bowling stole the show in front of 41,921 fans at Optus Stadium on Thursday, enforcer Lance Morris putting a scare up the visitors, regularly hitting mid-140km/h and falling just short of 150km/h at times as he claimed 1-23.

The electric fast bowler fed off the energy stolen by a stunning last-over display of power and authority by Nick Hobson, who took Xavier Bartlett for 24 to set the Heat a chase of 166 and end unbeaten with a lightning 47 from 16.

And as good as Morris was with the ball, his teammates were even better in the field, Ashton Agar salving a golden duck with a brilliant run out and Finn Allen finally making a mark with a run out of his own having failed with the bat again.

“(The win’s) really important,” Nick Hobson said post-game.

“Probably two games we would have liked to win away but these home games are really important and hopefully we can take this momentum for the next few games on the road.”

After being dropped in Melbourne, Morris made a dream start, removing Tom Banton strangled down leg side first ball, Englishman Matthew Hurst making up for letting the opening ball of the chase go to the rope for byes with an athletic catch.

Morris let rip after the wicket, his third delivery sniffing Jimmy Peirson’s outside edge at 145.1km/h.

The speedster nearly had his second in the next over, Peirson spooning a 148km/h short ball towards mid-on, but Andrew Tye spilled the juggled attempt, also allowing the opener off the mark, a massive groan escaping the crowd.

The groan turned to ecstasy as Agar turned a beautiful one-handed stop at point into a breath-taking, pin-point run out, leaving Peirson stranded and teammates stunned.

The big wicket of Colin Munro came in the next over as the powerful Kiwi charged Matthew Kelly only to chip him high to Ashton Turner.

Hurst missed a tough chance to catch Nathan McSweeney on five, but it didn’t hurt as the Queenslander ran himself out in suicidal fashion, Allen throwing down the non-striker’s stumps from point.

The visitors hit the power surge button as soon as they could in the 11th over, requiring 98 from 60 balls.

Matthew Renshaw started the surge in fine fashion with a four but threw his wicket away on 36, Tye grabbing his first scalp.

The Heat’s hopes were fading as Jason Behrendorff chimed in with the wicket of Paul Walter for a sedate five off four.

Max Bryant threatened to put a scare through the orange army, but he eventually ran out of luck for an entertaining 35 from 20, all but ending the contest with the Heat bowled out for 132.

The Scorchers’ batting unit could’ve used some oil, their innings grinding to a halt several times after being sent in.

Allen survived his dreaded second-ball wicket habit, but it made no difference as he sliced his fifth ball to backward point for his second duck in a row.

As he’s done in all but one game, Cooper Connolly absorbed the early pressure and, alongside Hurst, carried the Scorchers past 50 with just one wicket lost.

As the drinks break approached, spin was put on the early dinner menu, Matt Kuhnemann and part-timer McSweeney put to the sword.

However, Hurst couldn’t rein in his Christmas gluttony, caught for 28 trying to hit the three-Test opener for a second maximum.

Aaron Hardie showed plenty of rust in his first match back from injury before crashing his 16th delivery faced 10 rows over mid-on.

Connolly also stalled, top-edging a pull shot on 37 high into the air, allowing Heat keeper Peirson to settle for a comfortable catch.

Turner got off the mark with a Sam Konstas-esque ramp for six but also struggled to find his timing on the Perth wicket as Hardie hit one down deep mid-on’s throat on 24.

The Scorchers were desperate for boundaries as Hobson walked to the crease at 4-104.

And the unassuming left-hander delivered in the final over after Turner wasted his life on 19 three runs later, and an Agar golden duck handed Spencer Johnson figures of 4-20.

With six balls remaining, Hobson lifted the roof off Optus Stadium, launching three of the first four deliveries into the stands either side of a boundary before closing the innings with a quick double to give Perth a total of 6-165.