Twitter Reactions: Alex Carey's century reignites Strikers' playoff hopes

Tumbling out for 115, the Heat underwent a net-run-rate-denting loss, and with only two more fixtures left for them, the elimination seems imminent for them.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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Alex Carey
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Alex Carey of the Adelaide Strikers. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

A scintillating 62-ball century from Alex Carey before the spectacular efforts from Wes Agar and Peter Siddle with the ball guided the Adelaide Strikers to a mammoth 82-run victory over the Brisbane Heat in the 46th encounter of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21. After electing to bat, openers Carey and Jake Weatherald took the team to a sedate start. Weatherald launched an assault against Jack Wildermuth, slamming him for a six and a couple of fours in the 4th over, which fetched the team 16 runs.

After getting his eyes in, Carey activated his aggressive side against Marnus Labuschagne as he slapped him for two consecutive sixes. To make matters worse, Labuschagne dropped a return catch of Carey on the next ball when he was at 26 before Weatherald (36 from 18) picked deep midwicket to end his 38-ball 66-run opening partnership, in the same over. Joined by Travis Head – who scored 25 from 19 before holing out Labuschagne to midwicket – in the middle, Carey continued middling the ball to perfection as he brought up his 50 from 38 balls.

Carey’s havoc guides Strikers to 197

Having got 104 runs at the halfway mark, it was Phil Salt, who came in after Head’s dismissal and added a quick-fire 61 from 34 with Carey for the third wicket, scoring 26 from 17, with a couple of fours and a six. The stand was broken by Xavier Bartlett in the 18th over when Salt gave a simple catch to Bryant (subbed in for Morkel) at long-on. Carey, after being dropped on 26, rode on his luck and slammed 10 fours and three sixes in his 101-run knock, completing his in the ultimate over by a scoop over fine leg boundary off Mark Steketee.

Agar-Siddle trap the Heat

Trying to surpass Strikers’ 197 for a victory, the Heat struggled to find the requisite momentum courtesy of some top-notch effort with the ball by the opponents. Having added 23 for the first wicket with Labuschagne, Chris Lynn (17 from 9) was the first to go as he picked Ryan Gibson off Wes Agar. Much like Labuschagne, the new man, Joe Denly, lacked fluency in his innings and fell to Agar in the double-wicket 9th over bowled by Agar, which also witnessed the end of Labuschagne (28 from 25).

Peter Siddle soon joined the party alongside Agar, as he struck on successive deliveries to remove Joe Burns and Lewis Gregory. With an ever-increasing required rate, the twin strikes from Agar and Siddle reduced the Heat to 61 for 1 to 68 for 5 in hardly any time. The collapse inflicted after the second wicket took a brief halt as Jimmy Pierson added 21 with Max Bryant for the 6th wicket, only for Michael Neser, Danny Briggs, and Siddle to wrap up the tail after Pierson perished to Liam O’Connor. Tumbling out for 115, the Heat underwent a net-run-rate-denting loss, and with only two more fixtures left for them, the elimination seems imminent for them.

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