Duckett spearheads the Heat's rise to fourth place

English batter Ben Duckett slammed his highest BBL score to propel Brisbane Heat to a 39-run thrashing of Adelaide Strikers.

Duckett top-scored with 78 from just 47 balls as the Heat posted an imposing 7 for 208 at Adelaide Oval. In reply, the Strikers made 8 for 169 and were never in the hunt after losing both opening batters in the initial nine balls.

The Strikers' Jonathan Wells made a fighting 55 from 41 deliveries but they remain in the mire with just one win from five games. The Heat, though, made a massive move up the ladder, jumping from seventh to fourth spot with their second win.

Duckett's blazing knock was instrumental in the victory - he cracked 10 fours and two sixes and featured in a superb partnership with Sam Heazlett (49 from 30 balls). The pair added 114 runs in just under 11 overs before departing in consecutive balls from Rashid Khan.

Rashid was denied his second BBL hat-trick and finished with 3 for 34 but the damage had been done by Duckett and Heazlett, who struck three sixes and three fours.

The pair cashed in after a rapid start - their partnership started at 3 for 74 after seven overs. After winning the toss, the Heat opener Chris Lynn smacked 10 runs from four Wes Agar balls before being caught behind from the fifth when trying to guide to third man.

His replacement Tom Cooper made 16 but also lasted just five balls - he hit two fours and a six from Peter Siddle before the Strikers captain trapped him lbw with an excellent yorker.

The wickets failed to halt the attack of Max Bryant, who steered the visitors to 2 for 64 at the end of the six-over powerplay. But in the next over, his 20-ball knock featuring five fours and a six ended when caught on the midwicket boundary from Rashid's bowling.

The Heat were 3 for 94 after 10 overs and Duckett and Heazlett then accelerated, reaching a 100-run partnership in just 61 balls.

The run chase stumbled early. Opener Matt Short smacked two sixes from the first two balls, a two from the next, and then feathered an edge to wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson from spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

And on the ninth ball of the Strikers' innings, Jake Weatherald was bowled by paceman Mark Steketee (3 for 27) in a horror start for the home side.

Wells and Matt Renshaw steadied but after 10 overs the Strikers were 2 for 82 and well off the pace. Renshaw was dismissed in the 12th over and Wells, who hit six fours and a six, was out in the 13th to sap all of the Strikers' momentum.

Tom Kelly made 27 from 22 balls and George Garton hit three sixes in his 19 from five deliveries but became Kuhnemann's third victim, while the Heat allrounder James Bazley finished with 2 for 27.