Adelaide Strikers 251 for 5 (M Short 109, Lynn 47, Ross 44*, Kuhneman 3-50) Brisbane Heat 195 (McSweeney 43, De Short 4-15, Haskett 2-43, Pope 2-44) by 56 runs

Sent in to bat on a very flat surface at Adelaide Oval, the Strikers scored 251 for 5 with Short’s 54-ball 109 after missing the last three matches. He completed his century in 49 balls to set a new franchise record.

Heat never seriously threatened in the chase and were bowled out for 195 after 20 overs.

The result has breathed life into the Strikers’ season (three wins from eight games) as they entered the match in last place and moved well clear of fourth-placed Heat.

Short/Lynn fumble before Carey’s brief knock in season debut

In Short’s absence, Lynn moved up to open from three and had enough success to retain that position. He dominated the power play and beat the pacers Michael Nesser and Xavier Bartlett, who are usually very reliable with the new ball.

Lynn scored 42 off 13 balls as the Strikers scored the most runs by a team this season in the Powerplay. Short then took on left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson with two sixes as the Strikers moved to 81-0 after five overs.

Hogging the strike, Short soon surpassed Lynn to complete his half-century off 24 balls. In the first seven overs, Short and Lynn hit seven sixes while failing to score off just 11 balls.

But Lynn lost his rhythm and also suffered a hamstring strain before being knocked out by a fast ball from left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhneman.

Carey finally came to the crease, but lasted just eight balls after being bowled by another fast ball from Kuhneman. However, he hit the best shot of the innings when a brilliant check drive went beautifully over extra cover and into the crowd.

Short was restless as he duly reached his ton with a boundary. Travis Head had scored the previous fastest century by a striker with his famous 53-ball century against the Sydney Sixers on New Year’s Eve 2015.

It was a brilliant innings from Short, who recently opened for Australia in white-ball cricket, marked by staying at the crease and hitting the ball cleanly. He ruthlessly hit short boundaries on the leg side and was eventually dismissed at deep mid-wicket.

Alex Ross scored an unbeaten 44 off 19 balls at the death to keep the strikers on pace.

Spinners Kuhneman, Swepson do their best.

With rare performances from their star pacers Nesser, Bartlett and Johnson, they failed to hit their lengths, with spinners Kuhneman and Swepson taking five wickets between them in fighting efforts.

They were not spared either, scoring 91 runs in their eight overs, but at least ensured that the Strikers did not repeat the BBL record score of 273 for 2 set by Melbourne Stars three years ago.

Kohnemann, in his first match since being selected for the Test tour of Sri Lanka, zipped a bit off the surface, while Swepson shrewdly combined his bowling to be the most economical of the five bowlers used.

The debuting fast bowlers faced a tough start, with D’Arcy Short picking up four wickets.

On a surface that rivaled some of the most unforgiving pitches seen in the IPL, the Strikers’ debuting pacers Liam Haskett and Jordan Buckingham faced a tough start.

Haskett impressed for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield last season, but had a delayed start this summer due to a back injury. The tall left-arm pacer was dropped in the second over, but initially struggled with his length and was hit on the leg-side for successive sixes by Naisar.

Haskett was later pulled for six by Nathan McSweeney and, remarkably, was caught in the loft by his father. He later returned to dismiss Tom Alsop and finished with 2 for 43 in 3 overs.

Buckingham, 24, was given a chance in the BBL after impressing in the Shield last season. Like almost every other bowler in the match, he faced some form of punishment but took the crucial wicket of Matthew Renshaw in the 14th over.

Munro bats well after being injured in the field.

Heat’s monumental task was made difficult by captain Colin Munro batting well after suffering a dislocated left finger and a shoulder injury at a difficult time in the field. He was dismissed at number 7 and ducked the second ball.

Nasser was promoted to open and ordered to go for the break, but he didn’t do the trick. McSweeney played fluently with several beautiful drives and scored 43 off 24 balls.

But he was run out in a second run attempt as Heat’s slim chances faded despite entertaining cameos from Renshaw, the in-form Max Bryant and Johnson, who scored 27 off 13 balls at No.11.