Phew! Back-to-back tight finishes in the ongoing BBL. The chasing teams have come out on top on both the occasions. Adelaide Strikers kick off with a win, while the Sixers have now lost two matches in a row. Tomorrow, we have a blockbuster clash from the MCG, with Melbourne Stars hosting the defending champions, Hobart Hurricanes.
For now, this is me, AkshayaKrishna Polya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator, Deepak Prakash, and scorer Ashok Dayma. Until then, it is cheers!
Jamie Overton (POTM): "(Was it always in control?) I’d like to think so, but post games you always want to get over the line. It’s nice to do that and pick up our first win of the season. It’s always a tough place to come and play — these guys are known for being one of the best franchises in the world. So yeah, it feels great to cross the line in the first game.
Yeah, I think we were pretty happy at halfway. It felt a little sloppy at times—there was some extra bounce and a bit of swing up front. So the idea was to get off to a good start, play the conditions well, and then stack the back end with the bat. Once we did that, it felt like we were always in control of the chase. Absolutely loved it. This is my third season here, and I love coming back to play in front of the Adelaide fans and travelling around Australia. It’s one of my favourite places in the world, so I’m really delighted to be back."
Player of the Match: Jamie Overton
5:14 PM IST, 10:44 PM Local Time: What a game we have witnessed at SCG!!! Plenty of drama and action. In the end, it is Adelaide Strikers, who have managed to hold their nerve and defeat Sydney Sixers at this iconic venue for the first time in nearly 8 years! A three-wicket win in the last over to kickstart their campaign in the 15th season!
Earlier, Adelaide Srikers won the bat flip and opted to bowl first. The Sixers lost Babar Azam for a single-figure score yet again, while his opening partner, Daniel Hughes, could score only 11.
Josh Philippe counterattacked with his brilliant 46 off 28 balls. Moises Henriques played a perfect second fiddle to the wicketkeeper batter with his 21-ball 20, adding exactly 50 for the third wicket.
Lloyd Pope removed Philippe and Jordan Silk in consecutive deliveries in the 12th over before Matthew Short got rid of his opposite number in the very next over to reduce the Sixers to 100/5.
The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals at the back end and could score only 159/9 in 20 overs. Thanks to Jack Edwards' 32 off 21 balls, the Sixers got past the 150-run mark.
Luke Wood was fantastic on his Strikers' debut and finished with 3/26. Jamie Overton and Pope got two wickets, while Short and Henry Thornton snapped a wicket each. Hasan Ali was slightly expensive and wicketless on his first-ever outing in the BBL.
The power-packed Strikers' top order failed to fire, getting little starts and failing to convert them into a big one. They were reduced to 58/3 after losing Short and Chris Lynn inside the powerplay.
Liam Scott kept the innings going with his only 2nd BBL fifty, hitting 3 fours and as many sixes in his 51 off 32 balls. He was involved in three decent partnerships with Sangha, Alex Ross and Overton. However, the Strikers, too, lost wickets at the wrong time towards the back end of their run chase.
Overton tried to curb his natural instincts and played according to the situation, scoring 30 off 20 balls, but threw his wicket away in the 19th over. Luke Wood (18* off 14) and Hasan Ali (4* off 2) held their nerves to take the team home with what was a tense finish despite the required run rate having come below 6 in the last few balls.
Jack Edwards, who provided the first breakthrough for the Sixers, was the pick of the bowlers with a two-wicket haul. Jafer Chohan bowled a good four-over spell and finished with 1/28. Joel Davies took a wicket in his only over. Mitchell Perry, Ben Dwarshuis and Hayden Kerr all snapped a wicket each, but eventually they were guilty of bowling a bit loose in crucial junctures.
OVER 20
Adelaide Strikers
160/7
Luke Wood
18(14)
Hasan Ali
4(2)
Hayden Kerr
1-23(2.2)
19.2 H Kerr to L Wood
2 IN THE AIR AND TWO RUNS!!! THAT WILL DO IT FOR ADELAIDE STRIKERS!!! They have held their nerve to defeat Sydney Sixers at SCG for the first time since 2017-18! The jinx is broken with this thrilling three-wicket win!!! Full and outside the off stump. Wood on the front foot fails to get underneath it but manages to get enough bat on the lofted drive, slicing it over extra cover for a couple of runs.
High in the air.....lands safely. A chance of runout at the bowling end, and the bails have been dislodged. The third umpire has been summoned to check it. Oh, that was so close, but Hasan Ali dragged his bat inside the crease in the nick of time. NOT OUT loads on the big screen. The Strikers need 2 runs off 5 balls now.
19.1 H Kerr to H Ali
3 IN THE AIR AND ELUDES THE MAN RUNNING BACK FROM WIDE MID ON!!! MEANWHILE, THE BATTERS TRIED TO TAKE THREE RUNS AND THERE IS A RUN OUT APPEAL AT THE BOWLING END!!! Over the wicket. Short, pace off, into the pitch and outside leg. Angles it across the right-hander. Hasan Ali backs away and tries to take it on. Goes for a wild hack and gets a top edge that shoots up over mid on. Davies chases it from the ring but fails to get there to take the catch. The batters complete two runs and charge back for the third run. The throw is in at the bowling end. Kerr collects it and removes the bails by stretching his left hand, with Hasan Ali diving to get home. TV umpire is checking on the replays and confirms that the Pakistani seamer is just home with a full-length dive. NOT OUT!!! THREE CRUCIAL RUNS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE TOTAL!!!
6 runs and a wicket from the penultimate over. The match has come down to the final over, folks! Strikers need 5 runs from 6 balls. Can the Sixers pull a Rabbit Out of the Hat? Hayden Kerr will bowl the last over.