Week Two Review (KFC BBL)
Week two of the Big Bash featured more big hits and wickets. There was a good balance between bat and bowl. The cricket that was played was exciting and interesting for the neutral spectator.
Scorchers v Stars Review
The Scorchers were in deep trouble early losing three wickets with just ten runs on the board. Voges and Cartwright were involved in what proved to be a match winning partnership worth eighty three valuable runs. The Scorchers scrapped their way to a defendable total of one hundred and forty- two runs. Faulkner, Quiney and Wright fought hard to no avail. Tye was the chief destroyer with five wickets, leading the Scorchers to victory by thirteen runs.
Heat v Thunder Review
After rain early on in the contest the amount of overs bowled was reduced to seventeen overs for each side. The Thunder took eighteen runs from Swepson’s second over, which put the game in the balance. The Heat fought their way to one hundred and forty-nine runs; a more than respectable total given the circumstances, thanks to Watson and Ferguson. For the Heat, Lynn set the tone making twenty-five runs off just nine balls. Peirson batted well, but didn’t score quickly enough striking at just over one run per ball, which wasn’t sufficient enough given the target that the Heat was chasing. The game went down to the wire with the Heat requiring nine off the last over. Burns and Ross made up for lost time with a quick fire forty-one run partnership to steer the Heat to a six wicket victory.
Sixers v Strikers Review
Carey hit two consecutive sixers off the bowling of Dwarshuis, which set the tone for the Strikers. They managed sixty four off the last six overs and took seventeen from the last over of the innings. The Sixers were in trouble early at three for thirty-three thanks to some good bowling from the Strikers. Silk showed some good endeavour making a half century. The sixers failed to produce with the bat, they required thirty-four runs from the last two overs. They required sixteen off the last over! The Strikers scraped home by six runs. The game went down to the last ball!
Renegades v Scorchers Review
The Renegades started poorly with the loss of two early wickets, however they fought back with a sixty-three run partnership between Harris and Cooper. The partnership was broken by Tye. Following that, the Scorchers dominated with the ball, restricting the Renegades to one hundred and thirty runs, predominantly thanks to Tye and Johnson who took three wickets each. The Scorchers run chase was a relatively elementary target, the chase was never in doubt, with Willey and Klinger forming a fifty-eight run partnership for the first wicket. The Scorchers made hard work of the target, scraping home by three wickets. The win makes the Scorchers arguably the form team of the competition.
Hurricanes v Thunder Review
The Thunder were cruising with the score at one for one hundred and nineteen. Some good bowling from Rose and Archer restricted the Thunder to one hundred and sixty-six runs leaving the game reasonably in the balance. Incredibly the Thunder fought back with all five of the bowlers used taking at least one wicket leaving the Hurricanes in trouble at seven for seventy-five with no chance of chasing down the runs required. The Thunder won the game by fifty-seven runs, incredibly with every Thunder bowler used claiming two wickets each.
Strikers v Heat Review
The Heat restricted the Strikers by bowling well. Nesar top scored with forty runs not out. The Strikers scraped their way to one hundred and forty-seven runs. Shah was the standout for the Heat with the bowl, taking two wickets at just four and a half runs per over. With the bat, the Heat was in trouble early, losing five quick wickets, with just thirty-eight runs on the board. Gannon was a shining light with twenty-three runs. The Strikers bowled well, winning the match by fifty-six runs, with Nesar the standout for the Strikers. The result leaves the Strikers and the Scorchers the two form teams in the competition.