BBL 2024/25, SS vs ST Challenger Match Report, January 24, 2025

Sydney Thunder 157 for six (Billings 42*, Sangha 30, Kerr 2-35) beat Sydney Sixers 151 for 7 (Silk 43*, Andrews 2-15, Agar 2-25) by 4 wickets

David Warner may have the possibility to steer Sydney Thunder to their first BBL title in 9 years after his aspect held their nerve in a scrappy Challenger last derby towards Sydney Sixers to win by 4 wickets, with seven balls to spare.

Thunder had been glorious within the discipline, with solely a sixth-wicket stand of 56 from 34 balls between Jordan Silk and Ben Dwarshuis hauling Sixers so far as 151. Though Tom Andrews was their solely spinner within the wickets – his brace got here within the area of three balls – Thunder’s spinners have been in any other case once more very efficient. The ten overs between Andrews, Tanveer Sangha and Chris Inexperienced value simply 66 runs on a floor that provided help.

In reply, younger English legspinner Jafer Chohan was very spectacular, however Sixers didn’t have the quantity of spin overs they have been capable of flip to as Thunder arrange a last showdown with Hobart Hurricanes on Monday.

Jason Sangha opens up

Thunder have tried quite a lot of opening combos this season, though a few of it has been out of their fingers as a result of harm to Cameron Bancroft, and a Take a look at call-up for Sam Konstas. For the Challenger, they opted for Jason Sangha, alongside Warner. Sangha was taking part in in simply his second recreation of the season, and began with a bang by taking 14 runs off the primary over.

Warner then scooped his first ball from Kerr for six, and Thunder have been off to a flyer. However he bunted a catch to mid-on within the third over. Sangha, in the meantime, had reached 30 off 19 balls on the different finish, when he slog-swept Chohan to deep midwicket, as the sport actually began to tighten up.

A zing-bail run-out

When on 3, Thunder’s Matthew Gilkes was given a life as he lofted Ben Manenti’s first ball to long-off, the place Lachlan Shaw, who has produced some spectacular fielding within the competitors, spilled a regulation catch in entrance of the Thunder dugout. From there, Gilkes constructed steadily, together with touchdown an enormous six into the Members Stand off Mitch Perry. However Gilkes was then on the centre of a borderline third-umpire choice.

Coming again for a second run after taking part in in the direction of deep third, Gilkes was overwhelmed by an excellent throw from Kerr. However Jack Edwards thought he had damaged the stumps together with his fingers. Nevertheless, after a number of replays, the third umpire dominated that it was truly the ball that had dislodged the bail. So Gilkes was dominated out for 26. The stump could possibly be seen shifting earlier than the ball made contact, however, crucially, the zing bails had not lit up, so they’d not been absolutely dislodged. With out the zing bails shifting, it was extremely unlikely to have been given out. However the third umpire lastly concluded that Edwards’ fingers had certainly the moved the stumps sufficient when Gilkes was in need of the crease.

That’s when Sixers put the squeeze on. Hugh Weibgen under-edged on to the stumps towards Kerr, and Thunder could not discover the large over that may possible have killed the sport off sooner. Chohan was very good, as he had been within the Qualifier last, and didn’t concede a boundary till the ultimate supply of his spell.

Thunder held the facility surge again till the 18th over, and although George Garton fell swinging throughout the road, Billings and Nathan McAndrew completed the job with some respiration area.

Full report back to observe…