Another near-miss has left the Brisbane Heat chasing their tails after a Dan Christian masterclass ended their three-match BBL winning streak.
The Heat would have gone to third with a win on the Gold Coast on Sunday night but evergreen Sydney Sixers allrounder Christian intervened with a match-winning knock to pinch victory off the final ball.
Chasing 149 to win, Christian's unbeaten 61 off 38 balls defied the bowler-friendly theme of the night and came despite a late wobble when it appeared the game was won.
The 37-year-old held his nerve in a rollercoaster chase, Jack Wildermuth spilling a tough chance on the third-last delivery that could have rewritten the script.
It meant the Sixers shot to the top of the ladder, while the Heat could shuffle back to seventh if the Melbourne Stars win on Monday.
The Heat (4-5) had won four of their last five, with three of their four previous losses coming after they'd been in winning positions.
Twice they have fallen within two runs when chasing targets, while Daniel Sams' incredible 65 off 25 balls stole a win for Sydney Thunder from under the Heat's nose in their second game of the season.
"It was nice to contribute there at the end, but it hurts ... it's not our first close one this year," James Bazley, who impressed when thrown the ball late in the Sixers' chase, said.
"It was a great game of cricket in the end, just hurts that it didn't fall our way.
"You've got to believe it's enough and we certainly did, but Dan Christian's a serious player ... he smacked them tonight, so good on him."
The Heat are unsure where their next game, scheduled to be played in Melbourne against the Renegades on Thursday, will take place given the changing COVID-19 restrictions.
It looms as a must-win if they are to keep pace with the top five and is likely to be the last for in-form spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman before he departs on international duties with Afghanistan.
"The way it's going at the moment, every day we're waking up at seeing what we have next," Bazley said.
"There's a bit going on, so we are prepared for anything."
