The Adelaide Strikers have made an impeccable begin to their BBL marketing campaign, dazzling with each bat and ball to trounce the Sydney Sixers by 51 runs at Adelaide Oval.
After amassing an imposing 6-184 on Wednesday night, largely on the again of Matt Short’s 84, Henry Thornton’s career-best 4-20 helped the Strikers limit the Sixers to 7-133.
Thornton and legspinning wizard Rashid Khan (3-21) starred with the ball for the Strikers who exacted some retribution for final season’s Challenger Final between the 2 sides on the SCG, which the Sixers gained in a last-ball heart-stopper to advance to the decider.
Jordan Silk (36) top-scored for the Sixers, whose lacklustre reply spluttered early and by no means recovered.
Introduced within the third over, Thornton struck twice in his first three balls, dismissing harmful duo Kurtis Patterson (9) and James Vince (0).
Josh Philippe (26) and captain Moises Henriques (24) each fell sufferer to Rashid improper ‘uns as the Strikers’ grip on the competition tightened.
With the asking charge escalating uncontrolled, the Sixers have been aiming to match the house facet’s 30-run haul once they took the two-over energy surge however may muster simply six runs, corralled by the Strikers’ two best bowlers, Rashid and Peter Siddle.
Thornton returned to the assault close to the dying and skittled Dan Christian and Sean Abbott.
Earlier, Short led the Strikers’ assault with the bat after surviving the BBL’s historic first-ever DRS problem.
After the early lack of Jake Weatherald (1), the Strikers quickly plummeted to 2-2 when umpire Bruce Oxenford dominated Short, additionally on one, lbw to Abbott.
Short efficiently reviewed the choice, tv replays confirming the ball was lacking the stumps, and made probably the most of his reprieve, smoking the Sixers assault in his elegant 53-ball knock.
Short was splendidly supported by the competitors’s all-time main runscorer Chris Lynn (41) and swashbuckling England import Adam Hose (40), who each impressed for his or her new facet.
Abbott (3-37) and 19-year-old Afghan thriller spinner Izarulhaq Naveed (2-25) have been the decide of the Sixers’ bowlers.
