3 minute read
Normally known for his exploits with the ball, Rashid Khan almost batted the Strikers to victory against the Thunder.
The Sydney Thunder have survived a stunning late blitz from Rashid Khan to win a nail-biter against Adelaide, joining the Strikers at the top of the BBL table in the process.
Coming to the crease with his side in dire straits at 7-118 and needing an unlikely 51 off the last four overs to haul in the Thunder's 5-168, Rashid (40 off 18 balls) launched a savage late counterattack in front of 41,414 fans.
Rashid smoked three sixes in his thrilling knock before he was run out as he dropped his bat while desperately attempting a second run to retain strike, with five required off two balls.
With four then needed off the last delivery, Wes Agar attempted to ramp Chris Morris but missed and was then run out trying to sneak a bye.
Jake Weatherald (52) held things together superbly earlier after the Strikers started disastrously when Phil Salt (duck) and Matt Short (six) holed out cheaply before in-form Strikers captain Alex Carey feathered South African Morris to keeper Matt Gilkes for 19.
It left the Strikers reeling at 3-36 inside the powerplay.
When Jon Wells departed for 26, Adelaide were 4-99 but they remained an outside chance while Weatherald was in.
Circumspect early given the carnage at the other end, Weatherald opened his shoulders and clobbered leg-spinner Jono Cook for three sixes in the 10th over.
Weatherald crunched a free hit for six before holing out the next ball, lofting Daniel Sams' slower ball to Chris Green at long on.
When impressive tweaker Arjun Nair (2-19) snared Cam Valente and Cam White in the space of three balls, the home side looked cooked before Rashid produced some late magic which wasn't quite enough to maintain the Strikers' unbeaten record in this year's BBL and in New Year's Eve fixtures.
Earlier, Callum Ferguson (73) and Usman Khawaja (63) shook off the early loss of Englishman Alex Hales (four) to spearhead the Thunder's innings.
Khawaja was sent packing courtesy of a brilliant piece of fielding from recently-retired Test paceman Peter Siddle (2-30) who retrieved a throw from Agar at point and produced a no-look reverse flick to catch the Thunder opener short.
Ferguson smashed Rashid for back-to-back sixes before holing out to Wells before Siddle snared 2-3 in a masterful 20th over to give the Strikers a sniff.
