MS vs ST

Chris Green, player of the match: Very pleased with the performance. Our boys did really well and made sure that the job was done nice and early. We have bowled really well throughout the tournament, bowling teams out and restricting them a few times as well. Really looking forward to the finals and hope to put up a good showing there as well!

Sydney Thunder beat Melbourne Stars by 3 wickets!

Hilton Cartwright 36 (36) | Usman Qadir 3/24 
Thomas Rogers 35 (36) | Adam Zampa 3/26

Whoa- what a match this was! It kept twisting and turning throughout and kept us guessing as to where it would head next. This game kept us all on the tenterhooks, and made sure that the KFC Big Bash League lived up to its reputation. The Thunder got off to the worst possible starts by losing their star David Warner for just four runs on the board. None of their batters got going and this meant that they had to bat through the innings without any real urgency. 

The bowlers of the Stars were on top of the game throughout the innings, with skipper Adam Zampa chipping in with a few as well as the likes of Nathan Coulter-Nile, Luke Wood and Liam Hatcher all contributing in their own way. The key moment, however, came for the Stars in the 16th over when Chris Green lobbed a simple chance to Adam Zampa at short fine leg, and was put down. 

Daniel Sams made the most of it when he came to strike and smacked a couple of exquisite boundaries off Nathan Coulter-Nile. Up till then, the game was firmly in control of the Stars, who had bagged wickets at regular intervals. Now, the Thunder have managed to qualify for the playoffs of this competition and this means that the Hurricanes have been knocked out. What a game we had, and we are pleased to have shared it with you!

18.5 Luke Wood to Nathan McAndrew, THAT WILL DO IT! SYDNEY THUNDER QUALIFY FOR THE FINALS! THE HURRICANES ARE OUT! Full on off-and-middle, a big heave this time from the front foot, it goes well over wide mid-on, into the gap at wide long-on and goes over the rope on one bounce! 

18.4 Luke Wood to Nathan McAndrew, short over off, this is a pull around to the on-side, but it actually takes the top edge to go over the keeper and lands safely at third man, for two more runs! 

18.3 Luke Wood to Nathan McAndrew, full outside off, carved over the top of cover and down to deep cover, for a couple of runs on this occasion! 

18.1 Luke Wood to Nathan McAndrew, round the wicket, short over middle, it hits McAndrew on the body, and they sneak through for a leg-bye somehow! It hit him on the helmet actually, so the concussion test will be on. 

A tight but eventful over from Hatcher here! The Stars will have to pull a cat out of the bag now. That is also what the Hurricanes will be hoping for...

17.6 Liam Hatcher to Chris Green, good length ball on off, stroked to the right of short extra cover from the front foot, and a good stop allows for no run! 

17.5 Liam Hatcher to Nathan McAndrew, full on off, hit down the ground to the left of mid-on, but Kellaway dives full stretch and stops it to one! 

17.4 Liam Hatcher to Nathan McAndrew, short and fast over off-and-middle, a big heave across the line here and a miss on the back foot! No run. 

17.3 Liam Hatcher to Nathan McAndrew, good length ball on off, tapped down to the right of third man from the back foot and the batters come back for two runs! 

17.2 Liam Hatcher to Nathan McAndrew, OH! Good length in-ducker on leg, this sneaks through McAndrew and cuts him into half! No run, good pace! 

17.1 Liam Hatcher to Nathan McAndrew, over the wicket, good length ball on middle, defended from the crease to short mid-wicket, for no run.