Brilliant batting from Sam Billings and Jason Sangha helped the Sydney Thunder claim their biggest win of the Big Bash League season, knocking off the previously unbeaten Perth Scorchers at Manuka Oval.
Having posted 7-200 after being asked to bat first, the Thunder found huge early wickets – including that of the red-hot Mitch Marsh – to eventually claim a 34-run win on Tuesday in front of 9740 fans.
Meeting in the middle at 2-23, Billings and Sangha immediately went about seizing control and added 113 for the third wicket in the match’s defining partnership.
Man-of-the-match Billings drove beautifully for four off his first ball and quickly pulled another boundary, but an elegant back-foot cut to Ashton Agar’s spin confirmed the Englishman was on song.
Sangha, who finished with 56 not out off 46 balls and played a steady innings, allowed his English partner to go ballistic at the other end.
Billings’ 67 off 35 balls included 10 fours and two sixes, the highlight of which was a monstrous six where the ball hit the roof of the Bob Hawke Stand and ended out of the stadium.
Danger Perth quick AJ Tye found an edge to dismiss Billings at 3-136, but he didn’t complete his over after being taken out of the attack by the umpires after bowling two dangerous above waist-high no balls in his next three deliveries to Alex Ross.
Facing a daunting chase, the Scorchers’ innings could not have started any worse with opener Josh Inglis bowled by Saqib Mahmood for a golden duck with the second ball of the innings.
The in-form Marsh managed just six before he chipped Nathan McAndrew to deep mid-wicket and Kurtis Patterson joined him in the sheds three balls later to leave Perth reeling at 3-17.
The Scorchers steadied somewhat but were never in the frame, only helped to 8-166 off their 20 overs via a classy 64 not out from Colin Munro and a speedy 44 off 25 balls from AJ Tye.
Mahmood took 2-29 off his four overs with McAndrew the best of the bowlers taking 3-40.
Thunder captain Chris Green was full of praise for his side, particularly Sangha and Billings, the latter of which had been isolating for 24 hours after a COVID contact scare.
“Sam Billings, he’s in a really good run of form and something about this little (isolation) thing where he sits in his own room, we don’t mind it,” Green said.
“(Sangha) has potentially been pigeon-holed in that red-ball format but the way he comes out in his last three innings, he’s really relished that opportunity.”
Scorchers captain Ashton Turner said the loss would not derail his side’s season.
“It’s a new experience for us this campaign but we knew it was going to come eventually … we don’t want to be peaking now in round six,” he said.
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