A BRUTAL onslaught from Luke Pomersbach has powered the Brisbane Heat into the semi-finals of the Big Bash League.
Pomersbach smashed the fastest 50 of the competition as the Heat demolished the Hobart Hurricanes by eight wickets to set up a date with the Melbourne Renegades at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.
Chasing the home side's below-par 3-150, the Heat made a mockery of Hobart's battle with what had appeared a sticky Bellerive pitch to reach the target in just 14.1 overs.
Pomersbach's 50 came from just 24 balls, and his 82 from 42 included 13 fours and two sixes.
The Heat finished the regular season equal on eight points with the Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers but with a superior net run rate.
Pomersbach had the Heat off to an absolute flyer, which didn't relent as the side motored along at close to 11 an over.
Paceman Doug Bollinger (1-41) went for 27 from his first two overs and Jason Krejza wasn't sighted again after taking 0-31 from his first two.
Peter Forrest (18 from 11) was caught in the deep off Bollinger at 1-39 but the onslaught continued and in-form paceman Ben Laughlin was dispatched for 20 from his first over.
Pomersbach and Joe Burns (41 not out from 27) put on 107 from 55 balls to destroy the Hurricanes' finals hopes.
Hobart needed a late flourish from Jonathan Wells (40 from 24) and Englishman Owais Shah (32 from 28) to make the score competitive.
The home side had scratched its way to 3-84 before Wells and Shah put on 66 from 42 balls.
The Hurricanes managed just a single six, hit by Ricky Ponting (17 from 16), with Heat skipper James Hopes bowling a miserly 1-18 from his four overs while Dan Christian took 2-32.
A brilliant outfield catch from the Heat's Burns typified its night.
Burns grabbed the ball with an outstretched left hand before tiptoeing along the boundary and somehow staying on the field of play to dismiss Travis Birt (32 from 25).
