BBL 2020-21: Match 34, SCO vs THU – Munro’s hat-trick in fifties, Billings’ record knock and more stats

Perth Scorchers cruised to their 4th consecutive win of the BBL 2020-21 as they move close to the top four in the points tally by defeating the Sydney Thunder. Scorchers, who batted first, finished with 185/6 banking on the contributions from the middle and lower order batters. Thunder got off to a quick start scoring 30 runs in only 2.3 overs but lost four wickets for 16 runs. But Sam Billings kept the Thunder in the hunt with a 48-ball 83 before getting out in the 19th over.

Here are all the statistical highlights from Perth Scorchers’ victory during the SCO vs THU game:

Scorchers continue their winning spree:

4 – Perth Scorchers have won each of their last four matches in the BBL which was preceded by their longest winless streak of six matches spread across two seasons. The current winning streak is the longest for the Scorchers since their 7-match winning spree across 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

2 – Perth Scorchers defeated Sydney Thunder in the BBL for only the 2nd time in seven meetings since the start of 2018. The other win came in the previous season also at the Perth Stadium by a margin of 8 wickets. Until the end of 2017, the Scorchers won as many as five of the six meetings against the Thunder franchise.

Hat-trick of fifties from Munro:

3 – Colin Munro is now only the 3rd player in the BBL to score 50+ runs in three consecutive innings for the Perth Scorchers. Munro had scored exactly 50 runs in the previous match against Sydney Sixers as well and ended with 52 in the game against Melbourne Renegades; all the three coming at the Perth Stadium only. Herschelle Gibbs and Shaun Marsh achieved this feat in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons respectively.

A special effort from Richardson:

20* – The 20 runs scored by Jhye Richardson are the 4th most in a BBL game by any player while picking a 4-wicket haul. Richardson scored an unbeaten 20 from only 9 balls and ended up with figures of 4/24. No player scored more than two runs in the previous 13 instances of a Perth Scorchers’ player taking a 4-wicket haul.

Marcus Stoinis (43 & 4/21, Stars vs Heat in 2018-19), Daniel Christian (37 & 4/17, Hurricanes vs Scorchers in 2017-18) and Tom Curran (21 & in 4/22, Sixers vs Strikers, 2019-20) are the other three players with 20+ runs and 4+ wickets in the same BBL match.

A big knock from Billings:

83 – Sam Billings’ 83-run knock in this match is now the 2nd highest for the Sydney Thunder while batting at No.4 or a lower position. The highest is 85 by Mike Hussey also while batting at No.4 during the 2013-14 season against Adelaide Strikers.

83 – The 83 runs scored by Billings are the most by any player in a BBL game where they took three or more catches. In fact, only two players before Billings had even scored 50+ runs and took 3+ catches in the same BBL game: Ben Cutting (58 runs & 3 catches) against Hobart Hurricanes in the 2018-19 season for the Brisbane Heat and D’Arcy Short (51 runs & 3 catches) against Sydney Sixers in the 2019-20 season for Hobart Hurricanes.

Doggett’s record 4-wicket haul:

4/22 – Ben Doggett became the first player from Sydney Thunder to bag a 4-wicket haul in the BBL against Perth Scorchers. His bowling figures of 4/22 are now the 5th best by any player for Thunder in this league. Doggett’s 4/22 are now the 2nd best bowling figures by a pacer for the Thunder behind Dirk Nannes’ 4/17 against Adelaide Strikers during 2012-13 season.

10 – Doggett now has claimed as many as 10 wickets across four appearances against the Perth Scorchers in the BBL which includes a 4-wicket haul and a 5-wicket haul. He is now the 2nd player after Daniel Christian with multiple hauls of 4+ wickets in the BBL against the Scorchers.