SCO VS THU T20S

Right then, that is all from this game where the Perth Scorchers came out on top in convincing fashion and handed the Sydney Thunder their fifth defeat of the season. The Big Bash League 2023-24 action continues on 9th January, Tuesday when the Adelaide Strikers go up against the Hobart Hurricanes at the Adelaide Oval. The game will begin at 2.10 pm IST (8.40 am GMT), but as always, you can join us early for the build-up. Till then, take care and goodbye!

Ashton Agar is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his exceptional performance with the ball. He took 2 for 6 from his four overs including a maiden. He says that he knew from the second delivery he bowled that it would spin and help the spinners. Adds that he just needed to hit the right lengths and he managed to do that well making it difficult for the batter to strike him. Mentions that they were helped by the mistakes from the opposition as well as a few very good batters who got run out for them. Closes by saying that the side moves on quickly and does not think much about the result and that makes it easy for the side.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, after being put into bat, it was a steady start from the Sydney Thunder openers. A mix-up resulted in the run out of Cameron Bancroft, but Alex Hales did well to carry on. Tom Kohler-Cadmore got off the blocks quickly before being run out on 27. After Kohler-Cadmore's departure in the second over of the Power Surge, the Sydney Thunder lost their way, and boundaries became hard to come by. Having been involved in as many as three run outs, Hales had to fight his way through and gave his side something to bowl at through his 72-run knock. For the Perth Scorchers, Ashton Agar took two wickets, while his spin partner, Cooper Connolly, was introduced late and had three wickets to his name.

With not a big total to defend, Sydney Thunder were in search of early wickets to put the Perth Scorchers under pressure. However, Gurinder Sandhu failed to set the tone with the new ball for them which meant that Scorchers' openers had it their way at the start. They failed to cut off the easy singles and conceded boundaries every now and then which did them no favour. The Thunder sensed an opening when Nathan McAndrew got rid of Aaron Hardie but they just did not manage to string in quiet overs which would have helped them to build the pressure. Their hopes were reignited when McAndrew removed Zak Crawley but Josh Inglis took the attack to them which meant that they ended second best.

In their pursuit of 138, Perth Scorchers were off to a quick start thanks mainly to Zak Crawley. He did a good job of rotating the strike and by doing so, kept the scoreboard moving along. However, his opening partner, Sam Whiteman could not get much of the strike and failed to kick on. Aaron Hardie joined hands with Crawley and took the chase forward by knocking it around for ones and twos while picking up the odd boundary. Despite losing the skipper, Crawley got to his fifty and then stitched another stand with Josh Inglis. Crawley got out just before the job was done but Inglis batted through and finished the game off his side.

Perth Scorchers return to winning ways with an emphatic victory! Aaron Hardie and his men register their fifth win of the competition and strengthen their chances of finishing in the top two. As far as the Sydney Thunder are concerned, they let it slip from the 11-over mark with the bat and three run outs made matters worse for them. Their bowlers did put up a fight but it was not enough on the day.

FOUR! That's a wrap. Short of a length on middle, Laurie Evans moves to his leg and smashes this over the mid-wicket fielder for a boundary to win this game by 7 wickets.

Thanks to three dots on the trot by Nathan McAndrew, Sydney Thunder have managed to take the game to the final over. With 2 runs needed for the Perth Scorchers, Thunder's hopes rest on Chris Green.

Missed out. This was right in the slot outside off, Josh Inglis looks to swing hard and misses out.

Another one that bites. On a length outside off, Josh Inglis looks to push at it but the ball grips and bounces as he gets beaten all ends up.

Yorker on middle, Josh Inglis blocks it to mid-wicket for no run.

WIDE! Off-cutter down leg, Josh Inglis looks for the swivel and smash but misses out as the umpire extends his arms for signalling wide.

SIX! TAKE THAT, says Josh Inglis as he takes the sting out of it. Overcooked in middle, Josh Inglis launches it from the middle for a maximum right to the back of the sightscreen. This was a big one.

WIDE! This could have been avoided by Nathan McAndrew as he darts one down leg. Josh Inglis misses out and the umpire signals wide.

On a length outside off, Josh Inglis punches it to deep cover and takes a comfortable couple.

Leg bye! Slower-cutter into the body, Laurie Evans gets early into the pull and deflects it off his body for a single.