BBL 5 Match 6 Review: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers: Adil Rashid, Ross wins it for Strikers

Adam Voges won the toss and elected to bat. The highest run scorer in the previous, Michael Klinger made his way out along with Shaun Marsh. Michael Neser started the proceedings with the ball for Strikers, but it was Klinger who set the tone with two cracking cover drives.

Shaun Marsh also took on the bowlers, as Scorchers reached to 41 in six overs without losing any wicket. It was Travis Head who broke the threatening stand, as Klinger failed to get the elevation and watched the long on fielder take a sitter.

Marsh was in an attacking mood, lofting Jon Holland clean and clear over long-off and followed it up with a towering six to the upper tier. The left-hander could add only 12 more runs to his score before top-edging one to give his wicket away. The strikers checked the run-flow and set up a drought period with Adil Rashid rolling his arm to good effect, giving away only 10 runs from his 2 overs.

Rashid continued his show by tossing one up to Mitch Marsh, as the batsman danced down the track only to see his furniture getting disturbed. Ben Laughlin added more lines to the scar by scalping the wicket DJ Willey with an impressive change of pace. Scorchers kept losing wickets at one end but Adam Voges was not short on big strikes. He scooped Kane Richardson for a six, and ramped one to Laughlin after pulling one off the same bowler in the 16th over.

17 runs came off the last over; Coulter-Nile sent a full toss over the rope and pounced onto the next one for a maximum to lift the Scorchers to a competitive 151. Adil Rashid’s 2/21 plagued the batters while Laughlin’s 2/20 was impressive too.

In reply, the Adelaide Strikers started their innings with a hat-trick of boundaries, courtesy Tim Ludeman’s swift strikes and ended the over slapping one over cover. After playing a vital cameo with the bat, Coulter-Nile made the ball roar. He bowled two excellent bouncers before getting the better of Simmons to strike the first blow. Willey soon got the dangerous Ludeman out, as the score board read 25/2.

Former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene started on a wristy fashion, fetching couple of boundaries off the fourth over before settling down. Head’s stay was short and sparking, he plunered three boundaries before hitting a big one off Tye. But Tye had the last laugh, with Head getting caught at long by Carberry.

Jaywardene took the game closer for Strikers and batted with sheer grit. 26 runs were needed from 24 balls, when the Sri Lankan tried to hit one over infield but ended up slicing the ball to see Shaun Marsh take a ripper. He went for a well made 42 off 40 balls, and Strikers were hits away from the total.

The most impressive player from the Strikers previous game, Alex Ross played another crucial cameo, stroking four boundaries and a massive six to take the game in their favour before losing out to the mi-on fielder. It was fitting to see the man of the match Adil Rashid hitting the winning runs, as Strikers clinched the game with five balls to spare.

Brief Scores:

Perth Scorchers- 151/6 in 20 overs (Marsh 47; Rashid 2/21)

Adelaide Strikers- 152/6 in 19.1 overs (Jayawardene 42; Willey 2/24)

Man of the match: Adil Rashid (Adelaide Strikers)