AS vs PS

It's time for us from the comm box to take a leave but wishing a very happy new year to all our viewers. Enjoy yourselves and have a wonderful year ahead. Till the next time, this is myself (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) signing off also on behalf of my fellow commentator and good mate Darpan Tikiya. 

Perth Scorchers won by 7 wickets (with 33 deliveries to spare)

Finn Allen 50(23) | Jhye Richardson 3/29(4)
Brendan Doggett 47(39) | Henry Thornton 2/26(3)


Despite a remarkable comeback from the duo of Brendan Doggett and Cameron Boyce with the bat, it was still an under par score and the batting unit of the Perth Scorchers didn't have to break too much of a sweat to ensure that the Scorchers ended up winning the game convincingly by 7 wickets and with 33 deliveries to spare. 

The Scorchers were put under early pressure when they lost the wickets of Matthew Hurst and Aaron Hardie in the first two overs. Out came Cooper Connolly to join Finn Allen in the middle. Connolly got lucky when he nicked one straight to the keeper but the Strikers didn't take the review. However from there on, the two batters stamped their authority on the Adelaide Strikers bowlers.

Finn Allen in particular was at his sublime best and smashed his first fifty of this BBL season. The duo shared a 84 run stand and ensured that the required rate was well under 6 from the 4th over. It went on from strength to strength as boundaries kept flowing from the blade of Allen and Connolly. The former was eventually dismissed by Brendan Doggett but the platform was well set by then. 

Following his departure, captain Ashton Turner took the onus on himself to flex his muscles. Connolly took his time and nurdled it around for a few singles while Turner did the same. However he cut loose in the final over of the match and finished it off with a couple of sixes and a four. Thornton and Doggett were the wicket takers, chipping in with two and a wicket each.

Cooper Connolly is the Player of the Match. Here is what he has to say: "They (Adelaide Strikers) fought back nicely. But we were pretty happy at the half way mark chasing only about 140. It was night to see Finny (Finn Allen) get some runs. He is very capable but has had a tough start to the season. Nice to contribute. It is a team game. The wicket was a little bit tricky early, but once lights came on it was easy to bat."

14.3 Cameron Boyce to Ashton Turner, MORE OF IT!!! AND THAT IS IT FOR THE NIGHT! The Scorchers skipper takes them home with a hat-trick of sixes. Again, a flighted ball, at the off stump. Turner lofted it over the long-on boundary. Scorchers win by 7 wickets with five-and-a-half overs to spare. They end 2024 on the perfect note.

14.2 Cameron Boyce to Ashton Turner, ANOTHER ONE!! HE IS A HURRY! Another tossed up delivery. Turner went down on one knee and hit this one finer. It sailed over the square leg boundary.

14.1 Cameron Boyce to Ashton Turner, SLOG SWEPT OVER COW'S CORNER! Tossed up, 4th stump line. The batter smacks it over into the second tier. 

That's the end of the 14th over and the Perth Scorchers have got this well under control. This partnership has put any chances of a Strikers comeback to bed. Just 13 more required and it could end pretty soon. 

13.6 Henry Thornton to Ashton Turner, full, off and middle stump. The batter dinks it straight to mid-off and they eventually run one on the OVERTHROW!

13.5 Henry Thornton to Ashton Turner, a fraction fuller, angling into the middle and leg. The batter pushes it towards mid-on and yells out a quick "NO".

13.4 Henry Thornton to Cooper Connolly, good length, at the middle and leg. Connolly stays back and heaves across the line. The ball trickles down to deep midwicket. 

13.2 Henry Thornton to Ashton Turner, FLIES AWAY TO THE DEEP THIRD BOUNDARY! Back of a length, outside off. The batter slashed at it, got an outside edge and the ball evaded Lloyd Pope down at the fence.

13.1 Henry Thornton to Cooper Connolly, over the wicket, full, on the pads. The batter glances it to the front of square leg and finds a man at the boundary.

Strikers continue to bowl leg spin from both ends. It is a plan that yielded some success for them in the second half of the last season. Though, Scorchers have only lost 4 wickets thus far to spin in this edition of the BBL and they look pretty comfortable milking them around for runs. 

12.4 Cameron Boyce to Cooper Connolly, flighted on a fuller-length around middle, worked away towards the square leg region, bit of a misfield allows Connolly to take a brace.