Jack Wildermuth could barely put the moment into words after Brisbane Heat pulled off a chase for the ages at the Gabba. Still unbeaten on 110, the opener described the extraordinary win over Perth Scorchers as “one of the best cricket nights of my life” after his record-breaking partnership with Matt Renshaw powered Heat to a stunning pursuit of 258.
“Not quite, I’m still in a bit of shock to be honest,” Wildermuth said shortly after the eight-wicket victory. “Sitting here having won the game is pretty surreal.”
Renshaw, who smashed 102 from 51 balls, was equally overwhelmed by what had just unfolded. Between them, the pair launched nine sixes apiece and rewrote the record books, becoming the first duo to score centuries in a successful T20 chase. Heat got home with one ball to spare, securing their first points of the season in front of a jubilant home crowd.
“I still don’t really believe it,” Renshaw admitted. “There are a lot of goosebumps. I think a lot of people probably wrote us off early — and maybe we did too after that first ball.”
That first ball had seen Colin Munro dismissed, reducing Heat’s chances to just 4.78% according to win predictors. What followed was a breathtaking 212-run partnership in just 15.3 overs, as Renshaw and Wildermuth turned the improbable into the unforgettable.
“We didn’t speak too much, to be honest,” Wildermuth said. “We knew we had to go at about 13 an over, so we were just going to have a crack.”
Renshaw echoed that simplicity. “It was one of those weird ones where there wasn’t much talk. Just take the right option, see the ball and try to hit it where you need to.”
Heat surged to 54 in the powerplay, brought up 100 inside 49 balls and reached 131 for 1 at halfway, leaving a daunting 147 to get from the final 10 overs. Confidence grew rapidly.
“After about 10 overs, I thought we were a real chance,” Wildermuth said. “We spoke about how you could really backend the game and go at 12 an over for the last 10.”
Renshaw, batting at No. 3, did the early damage, racing to a 29-ball fifty and bringing up his century from 48 balls with a blend of clean striking and calm control. “I just like playing the game,” he said. “Feeling the crowd, the expectation, that nervous energy — I’ve always enjoyed that.”
Even after Renshaw was run out in the 16th over, and Max Bryant retired hurt, Wildermuth held his nerve to finish the job. When the winning runs were struck, the Gabba erupted.
“Just doing that in front of my home crowd is unbelievable,” Wildermuth said. “Honestly, one of the best cricket nights of my life.”
The flat surface and short boundary certainly helped, something both batters acknowledged after Scorchers themselves had posted 257, thanks to Finn Allen and Cooper Connolly. But execution and belief were decisive.
“It had a bit of tennis-ball bounce early,” Renshaw said. “I was nervous walking out there, but once it started skidding on, it felt good.”
The left-right combination proved especially potent. “With Renners out there, I knew he could target the short side,” Wildermuth said. “Then I could do the same from the other end.”
Renshaw, named Player of the Match, was quick to share the spotlight. “Having him at the other end made a huge difference,” he said. “I’ll definitely be sharing this with him — he deserves it.”
For Wildermuth, the innings carried extra meaning after recent injury setbacks. “The Heat giving me an opportunity at the top means the world,” he said. “I’ve worked hard on my white-ball game, and this win gives us a lot of confidence early in the season.”
With belief restored and momentum gained, Brisbane Heat will now look to build on a night that neither Wildermuth nor Renshaw — nor anyone who witnessed it — is likely to forget.
