Match Details
So that’s that and it’s Sydney Thunder that becomes the first-ever team to beat Perth Scorchers in the season so far. Thunder have secured a
comprehensive win by 34 runs and that should lift their confidence to a great degree.
Batting first, Sydney Thunder posted a daunting first
innings total of 200/7 from 20 overs.
The opening duo of Matthew Gikes and Alex Hales didn’t have
much to offer. Gikes was dismissed for 2 (3), whereas Hales was bowled on 13
(11). Both sets of batsmen were sent back to the hut by Matthew Kelly. However,
that’s where Jason Sangha and Sam Billings compiled a scintillating 113 run
stand in nine overs to get Thunder back
into the game.
Sam Billings played the role of an aggressor as he stormed his
way to 67 (35) which included 10 fours, two sixes, while batting at a strike
rate of 191.43. Billings was eventually caught behind in Andrew Tye’s over.
Jason Sangha anchored the innings and remained unbeaten for his 56* (46) with five fours under his belt. Alex Ross was castled for 6 (6) by Mitch Marsh, and Daniel Sams was out LBW for 10 (4) by Marsh as well. Chris Green’s cameo of 14* (6) eventually got his side to 200.
For the Scorchers, Matthew Kelly did well with his spell of 3/30 in 4 overs.
As for the run chase, it was off to an extremely poor start. The Scorchers lost three wickets for just 17, as Kurtis Patterson, Josh Inglis, and Mitch Marsh all walked back cheaply. Patterson was dismissed by Nathan McAndrew for 10 (12), whereas, Josh Inglis was bowled off the very first ball to Saqib Mahmood. The man in form, Mitchell Marsh was out early for 6 (10) as he handed a catch straight to Matthew Gikes at deep mid-wicket. Nathan McAndrew claimed his third victim of the night as he got Ashton Turner out bowled for 13 (10).
Colin Munro and Andrew Tye accumulated a 54 run partnership but it turned out to be too little and too late. Tye’s entertaining knock of 44 (25) came to an end by Chris Green, whereas Munro remained unbeaten at 64* (43).
Nathan McAndrew might have conceded 40 runs from three overs, but he did manage to pick up three wickets in the process. Saqib Mahmood was one of the stars with the ball in hand as he bowled a spell of 2/29 from four. Chris Green also had similar figures to that of Saqib, whereas, Daniel Sams chipped in with a wicket as well.
The final innings of the second innings was 166/8 from 20 overs.
The Perth Scorchers will be disappointed with the defeat, but they still remain at the top of the pile. Meanwhile, The Sydney Thunder move to 4th from 5th as things get further interesting.