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The Strikers surged to the top of the BBL07 table last night with an 11-run victory over the Hurricanes. Here are my five main takeaways.
1. Strikers edge Hurricanes to go top
The Hurricanes’ five-game winning streak was brought to a screeching halt at the Adelaide Oval last night, with the Strikers winning by 11 runs in a high-scoring contest.
Despite a late flurry from Alex Doolan (70 not out) and Ben McDermott (45), the Hurricanes finished on 4/176 in reply to the Strikers 4/187. Alex Carey was once again the star for the Strikers with a blistering 100 from 56 balls, with Jake Weatherald scoring a half-century in a record 171-run opening partnership.
The win sees the Strikers jump back to the top of the table at 6-2, with a home semi-final perhaps just one victory away. The Hurricanes remain in third spot at 5-3 and can lock up a finals spot with one victory from their remaining two games.
2. Alex Carey having a breakout summer
A glance at Alex Carey’s first-class batting record and you wonder what all the fuss was about when his name was being bandied about to win an Ashes spot as Australia’s wicketkeeper this summer. Averaging 28 from 23 first-class games, Carey didn’t yet have enough runs at the start of the summer, batting in the middle order for South Australia, to force himself ahead of Tim Paine. However, he is experiencing a breakout summer in BBL07.
Carey has been outstanding at the top of the order for the Strikers and put an exclamation point on his campaign last night with a stunning hundred from 56 balls. Carey’s first-class strike rate of 52 suggests he is more an accumulator of runs; however, this stint, opening the batting in the BBL, has really brought him out of his shell, with 368 runs at a strike rate of 139.
Should Tim Paine get injured, you would think Carey has placed himself firmly in line to be his replacement in the future.
(AAP Image/David Mariuz)
3. Alex Doolan, however, is struggling
Alex Doolan did well last night to finish with 70 not out from 55 balls. However, his slow start put the Hurricanes well behind the game and put extra pressure on D’Arcy Short and George Bailey to get things moving. While Doolan rode his luck at times last night, he started to strike the ball sweetly once he got to 50, launching a couple of towering 6’s off the previously tidy Rashid Khan.
I just wonder whether teams need to be a little more flexible when chasing a huge total. Having the side’s biggest hitter, Ben McDermott, come in halfway through the innings seems a waste. Ultimately, Doolan put the Hurricanes in a position where they nearly pulled it off. However, at one point he was striking at less than 100, having faced 36 balls.
4. Jofra Archer’s brilliant death bowling
Despite being on the losing side last night, Jofra Archer continues to show why he is an international star in waiting when he does qualify for England over the next couple of years. His last two death overs were as good as you will see for a long time, with a number of searing yorkers, three wickets, a spectacular run-out, and just eight runs conceded.
Archer knocked Jake Lehmann off his feet with the last ball of the innings, and his death bowling could prove vital for the Hurricanes if they are involved in close finishes during the finals.
5. Both sides are genuine title threats
Both sides appear to be in good shape heading into the final stretch of BBL07. With the Heat and Thunder both struggling of late, the Strikers and Hurricanes should make the finals and potentially meet again in the semi-finals. Both franchises have missed the finals in the past couple of seasons, but have done well with their imports this season and are playing like cohesive units.
Both sides are yet to win a BBL title, and this could be their best chance yet, with some other big teams being diminished through injuries and unavailable players.
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