BBL: Toss done twice as bat lands on edge in Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat match; see video

In an unexpected turn of events, the toss had to be done twice before the start of the Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat match in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) on Tuesday, 12 December. This rather unusual turn of events took place when the bat flip went all wrong and the bat landed on its edge. For those unfamiliar with BBL rules, a bat is used instead of a coin for the toss. Rather than the traditional heads or tails, it involves a flip or a flat outcome. A video shared on X (formerly Twitter) captured this toss when the representative tossed the bat at the request of the home captain. To the surprise of everyone, the bat landed on its edge. Cricketer-turned-commentator Lisa Sthalekar remarked, “Why is it with these grounds? Seriously, this happened to me last summer; I was here.”

The BBL season hasn't truly started until the first bat flip lands on its side #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/wZbCxoR29T

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 12, 2023

Sydney Thunder captain Chris Green eventually won the toss after a bit of drama and chose to bowl against Brisbane Heat. Cameron Bancroft made his debut for the Thunder after having played nearly 70 games for Perth Scorchers. Thunder were the last team to start their BBL campaign, taking on Heat who came into this match after a 103-run victory over Melbourne Stars in the opener, thanks to an unbeaten 99 (61) from Colin Munro. Brisbane Heat posted 151 for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs, with Munro once again top-scoring for the side with a 33-ball 46. Seamer Xavier Bartlett then led the way with a haul of 3/35 while the trio of Paul Walter (2/22) Matthew Kuhnemann (2/18) and Mitchell Swepson (2/26) also chipped in as the Thunder were bowled out for 131 in reply, resulting in a 20-run win for the Heat.