The Perth Scorchers will be looking to start 2015 in style with a third straight victory in the Big Bash League over the Sydney Thunder at ‘the Furnace’ tonight.
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:10pm.
After losing to the Strikers in the first match of the season, the Scorchers have responded well with wins over the Renegades and the Sixers.
They now have a chance to make it three wins in a row against the Thunder tonight.
With a big enough win tonight the Scorchers can also move to the top of the ladder on net run rate.
For the Thunder, they will be looking to bounce back, after two straight losses.
A win tonight will move them back into the top 4 at the expense of the Hurricanes.
A loss would keep them in the bottom 3 and put them up to two games behind in the race for the top 4.
The big problem for the Thunder in the last two games has been their batting.
Against both the Sixers and the Renegades the top order failed to fire.
Chasing 181 for victory against the Sixers, the Thunder lost 2/38 in the first five overs and couldn’t recover in the chase.
They continued this against the Renegades by losing 2/13 in the first 3 overs. The Thunder couldn’t recover and collapsed quickly to be 5/47 after 10 overs.
Big recruits, Mike Hussey, Jacques Kallis and Eoin Morgan only made 17 runs between them in that match.
They will be looking to improve on that tonight against the Scorchers who have bowled well in the competition so far.
Against the Sixers, in their last match, they defended the third lowest total in Big Bash League history.
Back at home they will be looking to continue their good form.
The key battle in this match will be the top order of the Thunder against the bowling of the Scorchers.
Can Hussey, Kallis and Morgan score enough runs against the Perth bowlers to be competitive tonight?
They will need to score around 90 runs between them if the Thunder are a chance to win today.
This battle will dictate who gets on top in the match.
If the Thunder can’t get on top, then Aiden Blizzard and Daniel Hughes will need to lift again to provide the Thunder with a competitive total.
Blizzard – who made 80 against the Sixers – and Hughes – who is averaging 69 in the competition – have been in great form when the top order has failed.
They will need to do it again if the Perth Scorchers take early wickets.
Heading into the match both teams remain unchanged for the clash.
The Scorchers have included Ashton Agar despite the youngster being included into the Australian squad for the final test against India.
He is allowed to play this game before going into camp with the Australian team.
Brad Hogg is still out with his hamstring injury.
The Thunder retains the same 13 players that lost to the Renegades on Tuesday.
In a match both teams need to win I lean towards the Scorchers to win tonight.
With the Thunder struggling with the bat, this could be another match where the Scorcher bowlers get on top.
With a parochial home crowd as well, it will be tough for the Thunder to win against a team they haven’t beaten before in Big Bash history.
Join the Roar as we kick off the New Year in style.
Prediction – Perth.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
That's it from me tonight. Thanks for joining me in the match tonight. Until next time it is bye for now. Bye.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
THOUGHTS In the preview for this match I said the big battle would be between the top order for the Thunder, and the bowlers of the Scorchers. In the first 6 overs of the match, we got that battle, and the outcome of that determined the match. The Thunder controlled that contest with the top three scoring 114 runs between them. Jacques Kallis, who starred in the match, scored 70 of them to give the Thunder a great platform for a big total. As a result the Thunder were able to build on that platform and set a score that the Scorchers could not chase. 179 was too much for the Scorchers and they didn't look close to getting the score after losing early wickets. Kallis and Hauritz were the destroyers for the Thunder as they each took two wickets. Carberry led the charge for the Scorchers with 69 runs but he didn't have anyone else who was able to help Perth win the match. The loss of early wickets hurt the Scorchers and the middle order could not recover. With the win the Thunder move into the top four. Perth remain in third but have now won the same amount of games as the Thunder. Perth now has 5 days to recover before their next match against the Strikers on January 6. The Thunder now have a week off. They play the Hobart Hurricanes on January 9 at Spotless Stadium.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
SCOREBOARD Harris - bowled Lalor - 14 Klinger - bowled Hauritz - 10 Voges - ct Lalor bowled Kallis - 8 Carberry - NOT OUT - 69 Turner - ct Hussey bowled Kallis - 0 Whiteman - st Hartley b Hauritz - 16 Agar - NOT OUT - 31 Extra (leg byes 2, wides 7, no balls 2) Total 5 for 159 BOWLED Kallis - 4 0 24 2 Lalor - 4 0 23 1 Hauritz - 4 0 34 2 Cummins - 4 0 39 0 Sandhu - 4 0 37 0
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
20/20 Agar finishes the innings with a boundary. It doesn't matter as the Thunder beat the Scorchers. Not only is it their first win at the 'Furnace,' it is their first win against Perth. Perth finish on 5/159 Carberry not out 69. Agar not out 31.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
19.3/20 Agar gets a run from the next ball. Carberry then hits a boundary with the next ball. It is dropped by a Thunder player and it goes over the line for 4 runs. Scorchers 5/153 Carberry 68* Agar 25*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
19.1/20 Cummins bowls a wide.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
19.1/20 Cummins continues. The first ball is hit for two runs by Agar. That is technically game over. Scorchers 5/146 Agar 24* Carberry 64*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
19/20 Carberry hits a boundary with the final ball of the over. Scorchers 5/144 Carberry 64* Agar 22* The task is simple for the Scorchers. They need six sixes from the final over.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
18.5/20 Scorchers score three runs from the next two balls. Scorchers 5/140 Agar 22* Carberry 60*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
18.3/20 The next delivery is a shocker from Sandhu. It is full and misses the pitch. It is actually called as a no ball because it is a big full toss.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
18.3/20 The second ball is a dot ball. The next delivery goes for two runs as Agar hits the next delivery down to third man. Scorchers 5/136 Carberry 60* Agar 19*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
18.1/20 Sandhu continues. Carberry gets a single from the first ball of the over. Scorcher 5/134 Carberry 60* Agar 17*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
18/20 What an over from Lalor. Just four runs from it. Scorchers 5/133 Carberry 59* Agar 17*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
17.4/20 Two dot balls. Perth need 49 from 14.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
17.2/20 Leg bye Perth 5/131 Carberry 58* Agar 16*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
17.1/20 Agar gets a single with the first ball of the Lalor over. 5/130 Carberry 58* Agar 16*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
17/20 Two more runs to Carberry finish the over. Scorchers 5/129 Carberry 58* Agar 15* Perth need 51 from 18.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
16.5/20 The Scorchers score two more runs from the next two balls. Scorchers 5/127 Agar 15* Carberry 56*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
16.3/20 Carberry then hits the next ball into the same spot for four more runs. Scorchers 5/125 Carberry 55* Agar 14*
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
16.2/20 Agar gets a single from the first ball. Carberry then smashes a boundary through cover. That is his 50. Scorchers 5/121 Carberry 51* Agar 14*