BBL 2024/25, SS vs ST Challenger Match Report, January 24, 2025


Sydney Thunder 157 for 6 (Billings 42*, J Sangha 30, Kerr 2-35) won Sydney Sixers 151 for 7 (Seda 43*, Andrews 2-15, Agar 2-25) for four wickets

David Warner will have the chance to lead Sydney Thunder to their first BBL title in nine years, a season after they finished with the wooden spoon, after his team held their nerve in a Challenger final derby against Sydney Sixers to win by four wickets. with seven balls to spare.

Sam Billings’ experience proved vital in the result as he led the Thunder to their goal amidst a regular loss of wickets. With another 18 runs needed off the remaining 13 balls, Billings broke the tension with a huge six off the leg side of Hayden Kerr.

Thunder had been excellent in the field, with just a 34-ball sixth-wicket stand of 56 between Jordan Silk and Ben Dwarshuis taking the Sixers to 151. Although Tom Andrews was their only wicket-spinner, his double came in the space. three balls: otherwise, the Thunder spinners were once again very effective. The ten overs between Andrews, Tanveer Sangha and Chris Green cost just 66 runs on a surface that offered assistance.

In response, England youngster Jafer Chohan was very impressive, but the Sixers didn’t have the volume of spin they could call on as Thunder set up a final showdown with the Hobart Hurricanes on Monday.

Jason Sangha opens up

Thunder have tried a variety of starting combinations this season, although some of them have eluded them due to an injury to Cameron Bancroft and a trial call-up for Sam Konstas. For the Challenger they opted for Jason Sangha, along with Warner. Jason Sangha was playing just his second game of the season and started strongly by taking 14 runs in the first over.

Warner then took his first ball off Kerr for six, and Thunder flew away. But he took a bunt midway through the third over. Jason Sangha, meanwhile, had reached 30 off 19 balls at the other end, when he swept Chohan to deep mid-wicket, when the game really started to get tense.

A bailout

At 3, Thunder’s Matthew Gilkes was given life when he bowled Ben Manenti’s first ball at long range, where Lachlan Shaw, who has produced some spectacular fielding in the competition, spilled a regulation catch in front of the Thunder dugout. From there, Gilkes built steadily, including a huge six in the Members Stand off Mitch Perry. But Gilkes was then at the center of a borderline decision by the third umpire.

Returning for a second run after playing to deep third, Gilkes was beaten by an excellent shot from Kerr. But Jack Edwards thought he had broken the stumps with his hands. However, after multiple replays, third umpire Phillip Gillespie ruled that it was the ball that had completely dislodged the bail, so Gilkes was dismissed for 26. The stump could be seen moving before the ball made contact , but, most importantly, the bails zing. they had not been turned on, so they had not been completely dislodged. Without shiny bail bonds, it was unlikely he would have turned himself in.

That’s when the Sixers pressed. Hugh Weibgen came up short against Kerr, and Thunder couldn’t find the big over that likely would have ended the game earlier. Chohan was superb, as he had been in the Qualifier final, and did not concede a boundary until the final delivery of his spell.

Thunder held off the surge until the 18th, and although George Garton fell across the line, Billings and Nathan McAndrew finished the job with some breathing room.

Tanveer’s fortune; Andrews’ double

Amid the loss of Edwards and Kurtis Patterson on the power play, which ended with the Sixers just 23 for 2, it was a struggle for the hosts. Josh Philippe, who had been demoted to No. 3 after failing to reach double figures in his last five innings, and Moisés Henriques, were beginning to lay out a platform when Henriques nailed a catch back to Tanveer, who dropped it, but he deflected the ball. ball to the stumps with Philippe out of his field.

Then, Andrews, who has had a huge impact on the Thunder’s run to the finals, further affected the Sixers’ middle order with two wickets in the 13th over. Firstly, Henriques was brilliantly caught in cover by Garton, diving wide to his left. Shaw then picked out Warner on the opposite side, and the Thunder captain was rewarded for his aggressive positioning on the field. Surprisingly, that was the last over of Andrews’ innings.

Silk’s sad endings

Silk was excellent in Hobart on Monday, when he had almost taken the Sixers to the finish line with 57. Against the Sixers in the Challenger, he had to do another rebuilding job with 76 for 5. He broke the shackles with a sweep for six off Tanveer Sangha. , and cleared the rope again in the power surge against Wes Agar.

The surge brought 20 runs from the two overs, before Dwarshuis was able to find his range against McAndrew in the 18th over, which cost 19 runs. It gave the Sixers something to defend, although in the end it wasn’t enough.

Andrew McGlashan is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo



Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here