Perth Scorchers 163 for 5 (Connolly 39*, Fanning 29, D’ Short 2-37) won Adelaide Strikers 161 (Scott 67, M Short 40, Beardman 3-17, Behrendorff 3-21) for 5 five wickets
In front of 41,878 at the Optus Stadium, Connolly rose to the occasion once again and finished unbeaten on 39 off 21 balls to end the Strikers and Renegades season.
But the Melbourne Stars can overtake the Scorchers and claim fourth place if they beat the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL season finale at the MCG on Sunday.
Connolly guides Scorchers over the line
Finn Allen has been boom or bust this BBL season. He was Scorchers’ x-factor and fans hoped he could replicate Jake Fraser-McGurk’s previous fireworks.
After a couple of early boundaries, it was an anti-climax with Allen hitting to midfield before Aaron Hardie and Sam Fanning combined to get Scorchers back on track.
Hardie has been out of form with a top score of 34 this season but looked determined and started with a boundary. He hit another on the ground and threw a short throw into the crowd.
But the game changed in the eighth when Fanning ran out after a horrific mix-up before Hardie, moments later, was stumped after failing to hit an aerial delivery from leg-spinner Lloyd Pope.
Connolly, however, was composed as he kept pace with Scorchers. The exciting chase had shades of the classic BBL 12 final and, as expected, he once again stepped up under pressure.
Forwards lack penetration
The forwards needed to win by at least 15 runs to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive. But they were always against it and they will regret a couple of crucial moments. Connolly, on 6, was declared lbw to Pope, but was disallowed after the follow-through caused her to bowl outside the line.
Turner was dropped in the 9th over by Brendan Doggett, who ran from long distance only to make a regulation catch.
But the Strikers’ lack of power on the ball was evident as the season came to an end.
Beardman takes a step forward in his second BBL match
After a disastrous loss to the Thunder in Sydney, where they were defeated by 97, the Scorchers’ season seemed over. They looked pale upon returning home amid rumors that numerous veterans were out and ready to leave the club at the end of the season.
Their last home game, with an expectant crowd for weeks, seemed likely to be a failure. But surprisingly, four results went right and the Scorchers were still alive.
Normally so reliable on the power play, they sprayed the new ball and were taken aback by the ultra-aggressiveness of Matt Short and Alex Carey.
But the Scorchers were able to take regular wickets when Connolly, in his last match before leaving for the tour of Sri Lanka, dismissed Short for 40 with a fuller, quicker delivery.
Beardman made a name for himself at last year’s U-19 World Cup with fast bowling and showed his innate fire with speeds reaching 140 km/h.
He claimed his first BBL wicket after knocking down the leg stump of Alex Ross, whose attempted ramp went horribly wrong. Beardman then bowled a red-hot short first ball to Harry Manenti before dismissing him shortly after. He added the wicket of D’Arcy Short to cap Scorchers’ comeback.
In a good sign for the Australian team, Hardie, who is in the Champions Trophy team, bowled for the first time in this BBL. He finished with 0 for 14 in two overs.
Hardie had not bowled since taking a three-wicket haul against Pakistan in a T20I in November as he increases his bowling load. He had played as a specialist hitter after recovering from a persistent quadriceps injury.
Scott excels as Strikers push harder
Once the Renegades increased their net run rate, the Strikers decided to go all out in good batting conditions. Alex Carey, promoted to open, went all out and decided to hit hard. It was an effective strategy as he began his burst by hitting Behrendorff for six before enjoying the extra pace from Morris.
He raced to 22 for 6 before getting late to a rampaging delivery from Morris and hitting it straight to third man. Short continued to step on the accelerator as Strikers struck for 56 on the power play, with Morris conceding 37 of the runs.
He continued Morris’ unfortunate night with a couple of powerful hits to the crowd before his 43-ball 67 ended in the 17th over.
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth.