The Adelaide Strikers recorded a remarkable victory over the Sydney Sixers on New Years Eve, thanks to an incredible knock from Travis Head.
REPORT: STRIKERS WIN NAILBITER
The Strikers looked nearly finished with three overs left to go still requiring 51 runs off the remaining 18 balls but Sean Abbott’s bowling proved to be the perfect platform for Travis Head to launch an amazing comeback.
Head hit 27 runs off that 18th over and he along with Adil Rashid kept the pacing going in the 19th as well. They entered the last over with 13 runs needed.
Abbott was the only bowling option left for the Sixers but he just couldn’t do anything to stop Head, who hit three sixes in a row off the first three deliveries, bringing up a century and winning the match with three balls to spare.
It was an incredible finish to a high-quality game of cricket which also saw Brad Haddin make a half-century for the Sixers, Rashid take 3/34 as the best of the Strikers bowlers, and Ben Dwarshius take 3/25 as the best for the Sixers.
The match may well prove to be the death of the Sixers in this BBL season as they now move to a 2-3 record and may be without Haddin (groin) and Michael Lumb (hamstring) who both finished the match on the sidelines.
Final score
Sydney Sixers 5/176
Adelaide Strikers 5/182
The Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Sixers are both looking to solidify their spots in the Big Bash League top four when they face each other at Adelaide Oval on New Year’s Eve. Join The Roar for a live blog of the match starting at 7:10pm AEDT.
The Sixers and the Strikers find themselves third and fourth on the BBL table respectively coming into this match however the Sixers don’t have a lot of breathing space as they’ve played a game more than the rest of the competition, and will be two games ahead of most after tonight.
So far their season has included a first-ever loss to their crosstown rivals the Sydney Thunder and most recently a loss to the Melbourne Stars, bookending an absolute demolition of the Hobart Hurricanes and a solid win over the Melbourne Renegades.
A win tonight is vital for them to maintain a positive win-loss record, but that will be a tough task for them. They’re without captain Moises Henriques – who will now likely miss the rest of the tournament due to a calf injury – as well as Test-squad players Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe.
The Strikers on the other hand have a great chance tonight to seriously stake their claim on a finals berth in this BBL season, if they win they will improve to a 3-1 record at the halfway point of the tournament, with their only loss to date coming against the ladder-leading Sydney Thunder.
It’s also a great chance for them to get some serious payback on the Sixers after a massive disappointment in last season’s semi-final. The Strikers then hosted the Sixers in the first vs fourth play-off after being the best team in the home-and-away season, but flopped horribly in the final, bowled out in less than fifteen overs for 94 runs.
Prediction: The Strikers might be the lower side on the ladder at the moment but there’s a little bit of smoke and mirrors in that considering the Sixers have played an extra game. Given the Sixers’ outs, the Strikers look to be the better team and should win tonight.
Join The Roar for a live blog of the match starting at 7:10pm AEDT.
bigmick01
Guest
56 in his last 15 balls. 50 off his last 14... The fastest 50 ever is 12 balls. T20 is basically a race to build 10 ball 50 hitting machines that will rise from the ashes like terminators...
Brett McKay
Expert
Outrageous end to the game. I remember thinking when Adelaide needed 22 to win that Head would need every one of those 22 AND to hit a six off the last ball to get his hundred, but I wasn't entirely sure he would - seven 6s in his last 15 balls and he did it easy!
NickBrisbane
Guest
We need people like him in the Aussie 20 team
Josh
Expert
Well, an absolutely incredible game in the end, and one I think that Strikers fans will be remembering fondly for years to come. And not a bad start to my BBL blogging career, eh? Thanks to all who joined me for a cracker of a match.
Oracle
Guest
Haddin been hit by the karma bus, by doing a groin after smashing the ball to the keeper and stooging the ump for the second time this season. Having said that, his interview while on the bench was very funny.
Dan ced
Guest
Oh my god. I was there mate. A smashing evening. I thought it was over when Ross got out. I feel Abbott got found out for a lack of variation, perhaps... But stunning from Trav! Adrenaline pumping hard.
Josh
Expert
Travis Head man of the match an absolute certainty. What a performance.
Josh
Expert
That's a third SIX in a row! Travis Head century! Strikers win! What an incredible finish! Final score Sydney Sixers 5/176 Adelaide Strikers 5/182
Josh
Expert
SIX AGAIN! Head! Unbelievable! 19.2 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/176 Strikers need 1 off 4 balls
Josh
Expert
SIX! Head is making himself a match-winner here! 19.1 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/170 Strikers need 7 off 5 balls
Josh
Expert
Abbott coming in to bowl the last over - after giving up 27 runs in his last one. 19.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/164 Strikers need 13 off 6 balls
Josh
Expert
Bollinger comes in for his last, Rashid lucky not to be run out off the first. Travis Head slogs another six off the fourth ball and after a single on the last ball, he'll be on strike at the start of the final over. 19.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/164 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | - | 1 Strikers need 13 off 6 balls
Josh
Expert
Abbott in for his third, but then Travis Head just absolutely explodes with four, six (bringing up his half-century), four, six, six, and a single - that's 27 runs off the over and could be a game-changer. 18.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/153 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1 Strikers need 24 off 12 balls
Josh
Expert
Adil Rashid in to bat, but it's looking hard for the Strikers. 17.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/126 1 | - | W | - | 1 | 2 Strikers need 51 off 18 balls
Josh
Expert
WICKET - ROSS Bowled Dwarshius, Caught Ayre Ross sends it high and he's caught by one of the sub fielders. Reckon that might be the killer for the Strikers. 16.3 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 5/123 1 | - | W Strikers need 54 off 21 balls
Josh
Expert
Botha in for his last over, Head hits a six off the fourth ball. Sixers appeal for a run out off the last ball of the over but Ross is comfortably across the line. 16.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 4/122 - | 1 | 1 | 6 | - | 1 Strikers need 55 off 24 balls
Josh
Expert
Alex Ross comes on as the new batsman. 15.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 4/113 6 | 1 | 1 | - | W | - Strikers need 64 off 30 balls
Josh
Expert
WICKET - HODGE Bowled Dwarshius, caught Abbott Dwarshius comes on for his third over, and Brad Hodge slogs a six on the first ball which goes into the second tier of the crowd - nice crowd catch too, but then Hodge gets caught by Sean Abbot on the fifth ball of the over. 14.5 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 4/113 6 | 1 | 1 | - | W Strikers need 64 off 31 balls
Josh
Expert
Bird's last over. Head sends it flying on the second ball, looks in danger but it bounces out of the sub fielder's hands and they run for two, then Head hits a six off the fifth ball, Strikers get 11 in total. 14.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 3/105 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 | 2 Strikers need 72 off 36 balls
Josh
Expert
Bollinger's third over, he keeps them to four runs off it. 13.0 Overs gone Adelaide Strikers 3/94 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 Strikers need 83 off 42 balls