Strikers consolidate top spot with comfortable win

Adelaide Strikers stormed to the top of the table after having picked up a 25-run win over Sydney Thunder, and that, in their backyard, leaving the hosts with the possibility of being knocked out of the Big Bash League.

At the Sydney Showground Stadium, the Strikers opted to bat on Sunday (January 7), on a pitch that didn't play easy at first. Opener Alex Carey (34) gave them a steady start and held his end while wickets fell at the other end. Fawad Ahmed pegged them back with strikes in the middle, but Colin Ingram's burst helped the Strikers to a strong total as Thunder leaked 44 runs in the last three overs, which turned out to be the difference in the end.

Ingram was dismissed in the penultimate over for a 31-ball 48, with four sixes and two boundaries in his knock, but it was Rashid Khan's unbeaten 16, with two sixes in the final over, that propelled the Strikers towards a strong finish, with 18 being scored in the over.

Thunder's innings never really took off, until Ben Rohrer bludgeoned 23 runs off the 18th over, but with 36 required off the last 12 balls, it was a task too improbable. Openers Kurtis Patterson (29) and Jos Buttler added 45 for the opening stand, albeit at a slow rate with the Strikers' bowlers keeping the batsmen in check. Peter Siddle managed to eke out a maiden even, with Rashid, Michael Neser and Billy Stanlake tying the batsmen down.

After the opening stand, the lack of partnerships and no substance of innings hurt Thunder, as Neser and Rashid ran through the middle order with the former returning figures of 3 for 29, while the latter had 2 for 21. Siddle, however, stole the show with returns of 2 for 13 in four overs.

Rohrer smashed three sixes and a four in his brief 13-ball stay at the crease that fetched Thunder 29 runs, but too much was left for the lower order to do in the end as all of Strikers' bowlers reaped rewards.

Brief scores: Adelaide Strikers 158/7 in 20 overs (Alex Carey 34, Colin Ingram 48; Fawad Ahmed 3-31) beat Sydney Thunder 133/9 in 20 overs (Kurtis Patterson 29, Ben Rohrer 29; Michael Neser 3-29) by 25 runs.