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Opinion
The Sydney Thunder have put a dampener on New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Adelaide Oval by beating the Adelaide Strikers by 22 runs.
Man of the match Jason Sangha provided the fireworks with an entertaining 91 that started steadily before escalating at the backend of the innings.
The young Australian also claimed a wicket with his leg breaks to cap a sensational end to 2021.
Jono Wells toiled hard for the Strikers with 46 off 26 but it was to little to late for the home side.
While a lot of the pre-match talk centred around the chance of the game being postponed due to positive COVID cases in the Sydney Thunder camp, the match proceeded as planned with the visitors winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Coming off a big win over the Perth Scorchers last time out and missing four key players, Ben Cutting was promoted up the order with the move paying dividends for the Thunder as the soon-to-be 35-year-old all-rounder teed off with three fours and three sixes for 37 runs to kickstart their innings.
Jason Sangha on the other hand continued his consistent, slow and steady approach from the game three days earlier with a near run a ball innings before he accelerated in the final overs.
(Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)
Sangha enjoyed one of the best innings of his young career, finishing just nine runs short of a century from 55 balls, helped by half-a-dozen sixes and the same amount of fours.
As ever the Adelaide Strikers’ Rashid Khan was particularly hard to get away, going for only 23 runs from his four overs, while fellow spinner Fawed Ahmed went for one run less off his four and picked up opener Matthew Gilkes for just 13.
Chasing the Thunder’s 3-187, the Strikers lost opener Matthew Short for 16 in the third over before Matt Renshaw and Jake Weatherald combined for 68 runs.
However, after securing the Bash Boost point, the Strikers took the power play out of the drinks break, losing their two established batters, both to miscued shots that were easily caught by Thunder spinner Chris Green.
The two quick wickets exposed youngster Thomas Kelly, who was picked up by Jason Sangha, adding to his batting exploits from earlier in the game.
With five overs remaining, Adelaide required 14.6 an over to win with Jono Wells losing batting partner George Garton in the 16th over.
Amazingly Harry Nielsen headed to the crease in front of the dynamic and unpredictable Rashid Khan as the run rate pushed to 16 runs an over.
While Jono Wells added some respect to the scoreline, the Strikers weren’t able to add to their one win for the season while the Thunder solidified fourth place on the BBL ladder.
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