Perth Scorchers turned out to be too hot to handle for the Adelaide Strikers at home as they take two points home and jump to second place on the points table. An all-round show from Joel Paris did the trick for the hosts.
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Joel Paris (POTM): "Thanks, boys! At the halfway, we thought that we were 20-30 runs short, but credit to a fantastic effort from the boys, we pulled it back. Turner said at the break, just pressure on early, try and put some scars in. The boys did a hell of an effort to bowl them out.
Any time you can carry momentum into the field, it obviously helps. It took me long enough to get a couple out of the middle! I've learned most of that from Tim Paine and the blokes like Marsh on the side. I just try to contribute whenever I can. We have three wins on the board in a row now, so we want to keep this going as long as possible. I actually wanted to see the batting highlights with those two big sixes. But honestly, if we can roll them like that, it's great.
Historically, we haven't bowled a lot of spin here. Agar has done a great job for years, and Cooper Connolly has stepped up over the last few games. One of the great things about our captain is that he goes on the fly and trusts his gut. Spin clearly had an effect tonight; I couldn't get one out of the middle for a long time, so we knew it was tricky. We've had to adapt our bowling lineup from what it has been over the last few years, and tonight everyone contributed to a super win.
Spot on. Our coach, Adam Voges, always speaks about the importance of the full squad being ready. With Finn Allen and Laurie Evans going down, it created opportunities for the young guys. Good experience for the boys to perform under pressure in front of 40-odd thousand at Optus.
It really does. It's been five or six years since my family has had Christmas at home. I have two little girls who love being with their cousins, so spending December and January with this group and my family is the best part of the year. There is nothing better than coming home and playing in the orange with your best mate."
Player of the Match: Joel Paris
6:50 PM IST, 9:20 PM Local Time: Perth Scorchers thrashed Adelaide Strikers by 33 runs to register their fourth win of the season and surge to second place on the points table. At the halfway mark, it didn’t look like they had enough runs on the board, but the way their bowlers stepped up to bowl the Strikers out for just 120 speaks volumes about the quality of this squad and why the hosts are among the serious title contenders this season.
Earlier in the game, Adelaide Strikers won the toss and opted to bowl. The opening pair of Mitchell Marsh and Sam Fanning got the hosts off to a flying start. They added 72 runs before Marsh chipped one straight to long on.
Marsh fell for 37 off 33. Fanning made 31 off 24. Ashton Turner (28 off 14) was good in the middle and then a late cameo from Joel Paris (20* off 14) took them past the 150-run mark.
Lloyd Pope picked up four wickets for 23 from his four overs, while Tabraiz Shamsi, on BBL debut, bagged three for 30.
In reply, Chris Lynn fell in the first over. Matthew Short and Mackenzie Harvey steadied the ship with a partnership of 45 for the second wicket.
Short, Jason Sangha and Harvey fell in the span of four deliveries and that really broke the back of the run chase. Strikers were always behind the 8-ball after that.
They kept losing wickets at regular intervals. It was not just the spinners for the Scorchers but even the pacers chipped in. Joel Paris picked up three for 22 and was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
Aaron Hardie and Ashton Turner got two apiece, while Mahli Beardman, Ashton Agar and Cooper Connolly all got one wicket each to bowl out the Strikers for 120 in 18.1 overs.
W WICKET! That is it! Unbelievable turn around with the ball from Perth Scorchers, see them defend an average total in front of their home crowd! Good length on the off stump from over the wicket. Pope gets down the track and looks to loft it down the ground. No timing on it and drags it straight to long on. Brody Couch takes a sitter in the deep, and the celebrations begin in the Perth camp. Adelaide Strikers have been rolled over for just 120, as the Scorchers win by 33 runs!
Joel Paris ends his spell with figures of 3/22. Runs with the bat and now wickets, an all-round performance from the southpaw. Strikers need 34 off 12. Aaron Hardie to bowl the penultimate over.