An English opener went over his fourth T20 century in a game that took over 400 runs
Thunder Sydney 5 for 232 (Hales 110, Dwarshuis 3-38) beat Sixers Sydney 5 for 186 (Henriques 56, Sangha 2-34) with 46 runs
You wait for a BBL period and then two come in at the same time. Well, almost. After Alex’s Carey special innings last night, Alex Hales made a barnstorming display against tournament leaders during a 51-ball, his fourth in the T20s, to power the Sydney Thunder to the highest in history. competition.
Against a Sixers attack that could never stop the tide, the Thunder established three consecutive 50-plus partnerships on the way past 200 for the third time this season. At the 10-over mark it looked like there was something really big on the cards at 2 for 109 that proved the case – 13 of the 20 pets went for double figures. Hales’ innings took him back to the top of the table for runners the day after England selector Ed Smith revealed there was no quick way back into the team.
The Sixers did not fold as some sides have done in a big chase this season, but the pursuit of 233 required a perfect performance and, after losing 3 for 22, there was a consolidation period in press the request rate even more stratospheric. However, Moises Henriques celebrated his first game of the season with a half-century that became more fluent until he suffered another umpiring decision that was quite bad.
Hales at best
Hales had threatened a hotel like this at a tournament where he hit the ball extremely hard. He played out four dots in the first inning from Jackson Bird, but did not waste time getting into his effort against Steve O’Keefe as the second went over 18 and then he put Bird into the stands as well. His half-century came from 26 deliveries with six swept away from Lloyd Pope in the eighth over which gave him plenty of time to double. On both sides of the 10-over he lost some of the strike but missed no moves. The Thunder delayed their Power Surge to the 18th over and Hales then sent four consecutive deliveries from Dan Christian for four, six, four, four to top his era. It doesn’t matter if Hales ever gets England’s place back with the runs he’s getting but he’s still one of the best T20 bats around.
Battalion of partnership
While Hales makes the headlines correctly, it was a well – built hotel from the Thunder. Usman Khawaja picked up the third in the quarter above, but Callum Ferguson grabbed 42 off 23 balls to control standing in the second wicket of 69 in six outings that took the game away from the Sixers. After being expertly caught by a non-parental catch back from Jordan Silk on the rope Sam Billings played his part in a partnership of 53. Along with Hales storming his hundred, the tissues were cut off with 33 out of 14 Ben Cutting deliveries. None of the Thunder batsmen had a strike rate of less than 150 as the total surpassed the previous BBL by six straight from Cutting in the final. Thunder’s top three overall numbers have ever arrived in this campaign and the 15 sixes hit the most in a BBL hotel.
Travel Forlorn
There are records of it being broken, but there did not appear to be another at night. Josh Philippe and James Vince threatened for a while with a 40-pointer in the powerhouse but were smashed by a brilliant piece of field by Ferguson, who stopped a strong shot from Philippe at cover and then got back to throw the ball at those who did not hit the end. Vince hit seven fours in his 23-ball 38 before falling to Tanveer Sangha, who won his leg and, shortly after his retirement, there was a 21-ball period where Silk and Henriques did not hit, the last one playing his first innings since Dec. 8, a finish. Henriques went to 30-ball fifty in the first outing of the Power Surge against Adam Milne, but even 29 off those two shots didn’t bring down the asking level. Sangha then returned for his final round and, where his last ball was, was Henriques caught behind trying to sweep only for replacements to prove he was on the bat. comfortably lost and shaved the cap. However, being in shape for the finals will be an inspiration to the Sixers.
Andrew McGlashan is deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo