BBL 2017-18, Match 20, Review: Strikers brush aside Thunders with a 25-run victory

Adelaide Strikers have defeated Sydney Thunders in their own backyard by 25 runs at Showground Stadium in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL). The boys from Adelaide have rocketed past everyone and have topped the points table now after registering their fourth victory in five matches and a superior net run-rate. Thunders, on the other hand, suffered fourth defeat in the sixth game and are reeling in the bottom half of the table. However, they would look to improve a lot in the second half of the league and qualify for the playoffs.

Strikers won the toss on a tricky wicket and opted to bat first but were jolted with a couple of early blows as Jake Weatherald and the skipper Travis Head couldn’t contribute much. But the duo of Alex Carey and Colin Ingram played well to get things going for their side. While the former scored 34 runs, the latter impressed with 48 off just 31 balls. They lacked a finishing touch in the death overs as Thunders picked quick wickets.

Though Rashid Khan’s couple of sixes in the last over propelled them to a competitive score of 158 runs after their 20 overs. Fawad Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for the home side who scalped three wickets while conceding only 31 runs. Chris Green also bowled well as he picked a solitary wicket going for only 22 runs. Gurinder Sandhu was the other wicket-taker who took 2 wickets for 28 runs in his three-over spell.

Struggling Thunders chase

Sydney Thunders had a great chance to win the game as they had restricted their opposition to a below-par total. But the bowling of Strikers never let them get off the hook with the openers struggling to get going. The leggie Rashid Khan was the first to provide the breakthrough who castled Jos Buttler with a wrong un in the seventh over. Kurtis Patterson and the skipper Shane Watson played a painstaking knock of 29 and 14 respectively as they failed to gain any momentum for the team.

Their slow innings cost them as the middle order had to go against the bowling from the word go which was tough on the slow pitch. They lost wickets at regular intervals and eventually fell short by 25 runs courtesy some excellent bowling from the visitors. Michael Neser picked 3 wickets conceding only 29 runs but the player of the match was awarded to Rashid Khan once again for his 2/21 and 16 runs off 6 deliveries. The youngster is lighting up the T20 extravaganza in Australia and would love to continue in the same vein.

Brief Scores

Adelaide Strikers 158/7 after 20 overs (C Ingram 48, A Carey 34; F Ahmed 3/31, G Sandhu 2/28)

Sydney Thunders 133/9 after 20 overs (B Rohrer 29; M Neser 3/29, R Khan 2/21, P Siddle 2/13)

Result: Strikers won by 25 runs

Man of the Match: Rashid Khan