The New Years’ Eve Big Bash League clash between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers saw Jason Sangha score 91 as they won the Thunder won by 22 runs to jump to fourth in the table.
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The Big Bash League encounter between Sydney Thunder and the Adelaide Strikers was already in a cloud before a ball was bowled. Coronavirus cases in the Sydney Thunder camp had seen plenty of uncertainty. Despite four players testing positive, the Sydney Thunder team’s remaining members tested negative. When the match was given the green signal, it was Sydney Thunder that showed tremendous resilience. Jason Sangha’s brilliant 91, combined with Daniel Sams’ 4/33 gave the Thunder a pulsating 22-run win at the Adelaide Oval in the New Years’ Eve clash on Friday.
Sydney Thunder chose to bat and they had some changes at the top. Matthew Gilkes and Ben Cutting came out to open in a surprise move. It was Cutting that set the stage on fire. He hit two sixes off Frank Worrall and Peter Siddle. The aggression rubbed off on Gilkes who also hit a six off Siddle in an over that cost 16 runs. But, Fawad Ahmed got rid of Gilkes for 13 and Jason Sangha came in.
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Sangha, who had hit a fifty against the Perth Scorchers, looked in fine touch right from the very beginning. Despite Siddle getting rid of Cutting for 37, Sydney Thunder had a solid platform at 65/2 in 10 overs. Then came the onslaught from Sangha and Sam Billings.
After safely playing out Rashid Khan, Sangha opened up with two sixes off George Garton. The first six was a slice of good fortune. Sangha apparently had holed out to Matthew Short. But, as the fielder took the catch, he stepped on the ropes. Short’s day did not get better as he was pummeled for a four and six by Billings. However, when Billings fell, Thunder opted for the power surge and they made Adelaide Strikers pay.
Sangha hammered two sixes and a four off Siddle to reach his fifty off 39 balls. Oliver Davies looked in good touch with a six off Rashid Khan as Thunder smashed 29 runs in the two-over power surge. Sangha was in fine form by hammering four boundaries off Worrall. But, in the 19th over, there was carnage as Sangha blasted three sixes and a four off George Garton as the over leaked 23 runs. The stunning finish from Sangha allowed Sydney Thunder to end on 187/3.
In response, Short started aggressively but in the quest for quick runs, he was dismissed by Saqib Mahmood. Jake Weatherald and Matthew Renshaw stitched a solid partnership to keep them in the game. Brendan Doggett was hit for two fours by Renshaw. Having reached 65/1 in eight overs, Adelaide Strikers got the Bash Point. Renshaw looked to up the ante with two fours off Mahmood. But, the bowler had his revenge as the 73-run stand ended with Renshaw gone for 38.
When Daniel Sams came onto the attack, he sent back Weatherald for 31. With just 20 runs from two overs in the Power Surge, Adelaide Strikers were already behind. After having hit 91, Jason Sangha got the wicket of Thomas Kelly to sign off a great day. Jonathan Wells and Harry Nielsen kept the fight going with a couple of big hits but the asking rate mounted. When Sams bowled in the death overs, he took wickets at regular intervals to finish with 4/33.
The win has boosted Sydney Thunder to the fourth spot. Adelaide Strikers, on the other hand, are in seventh position.
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