The Scorchers were ruthless in dismantling the Thunder tonight with the visitors exhibiting their supremacy with the bat, ball and, also, in the field. Scorchers paceman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, astonished the Sydney crowd with figures of 3/9 off three overs and two direct-hit run outs, while veteran spinner, Brad Hogg showed he can still deliver the goods at the ripe old age of 40 with impressive figures of 2/8 off four overs.
With the visitors limiting the Thunder to a poultry total of 99, the Scorchers only needed 14.1 overs to chase down the triple figure-target with Mitchell Marsh and captain, Marcus North, starring with the bat. Marsh illustrated his quality with willow in-hand smacking five sixes and a four on his way to an unbeaten 64 off 58 deliveries. Captain, Marcus North, also provided an ideal balancing act with an in-control 38 not out off 25 balls.
Earlier in the day, the Sydney Thunder won the toss and elected to bat, yet it had to make-do without West Indian paceman, Fidel Edwards, who had to return to the Caribbean for international duty; Trent Copeland was named as Edwards’ replacement. Meanwhile, for the Scorchers, Tom Beaton came in for in-form batsman, Herschelle Gibbs, who was a late withdrawal after the South African pulled out with a suspected bruised heel.
A steady start of 0/17 off the first three overs for the Thunder suddenly became 1/17 after Perth’s Nathan Coulter-Nile struck with his first ball as Usman Khawaja was caught behind for a disappointing 8; to make matters for Khawaja, replays suggested that he in fact did not nick the ball, which may go some way in explaining his displeasure following the dismissal.
Chris Gayle Dismissed for 20 in Controversial Circumstances
Following Khawaja’s dismissal, Chris Gayle decided to single-handedly lift the run rate, and he did so taking eleven runs off the next over. However, more controversy ensued upon the return of Coulter-Nile when a rash shot by Gayle found its way to wicket-keeper, Luke Ronchi, via the slightest of edges.
The umpire originally gave it not out, and even though there wasn’t a referral system in place, the decision was reviewed and, to Gayle’s amazement, the West Indian had to walk given out for 20 off 15 balls. With Coulter-Nile in fine form, the young fast bowler then showed that things come in threes taking the wicket of Dan Smith for 6.
With the Thunder subsequently finding runs hard to come by, Hogg picked up where Coulter-Nile left off delivering a superb wrong’un that completely left Jason Floros in a spin, oh, and bowled for 4.
Brad Hogg’s Still Got It!
It didn’t finish there either for Hogg; the 40-year-old demonstrated that he could still do it in the field too running out Luke Butterworth with a brilliant diving pick-up and throw, and, suddenly, the Thunder was reeling at 5/51 off nine overs. More poor judgement between the wickets ended Ben Dunk’s sketchy innings on 13 before Hogg bowled Sean Abbott for a first-ball duck.
After not scoring a boundary in eleven overs, Tim Armstrong set about taking apart Michael Beer smacking successive sixes off the left-arm orthodox spinner, and this kick-started a mini-resurgence with Scott Coyte that resulted in an innings-best 33-run partnership. With 120 runs still a possibility for the Thunder, it was Coulter-Nile who, despite only having a view of one stump, brilliantly broke the partnership with a run out that left Coyte helpless.
The Thunder was well and truly into the tail, so it was left for Armstrong to carry the innings. Yet, at 8/97, Armstrong gambled for a defendable score but, in doing so, belted a Nathan Rimmington half-volley all the way to long on where Simon Katich caught comfortably – Armstrong out for 25 off a run a ball.
Coulter-Nile strangely wasn’t used for a fourth and final over with North opting for Rimmington instead for the final over. However, Coulter-Nile rounded out the Thunder’s innings with his second run out of the night, as Trent Copeland was found wanting after collecting just a solitary single.
The Mitchell Marsh Show Featuring Marcus North
With a modest total of 99 to defend, it was no secret that the Thunder needed early wickets, and Coyte delivered on only his second ball of the Scorchers’ innings knocking over Ronchi for a duck. Marsh then came in at number three and in a blink of an eye, took the game away from the Thunder with a brilliant half-century that featured a whole array of shots.
Marsh took apart the Thunder attack with heavy hitting over the covers and square of the wicket on the on side. His somewhat kamikaze style of batting paid off for the Scorchers with the pitch quite conducive for stroke making despite the Thunder’s meagre total. Moreover, Marsh has already been touted as a future Australian star displaying a sound technique in being able to play shots all around the ground.
Marsh’s innings was complemented perfectly by North, who must be pushing for a national call-up following his unbeaten 38. North anchored the Scorchers’ innings in reaching the target set by the Thunder and now must be one of the favourites to take out the newly designed KFC T20 Big Bash League.
Andy Paolacci - Hi there! My name is Andy Paolacci and I am a 26-year-old Monash University Arts/Journalism graduate from Melbourne, Australia. I have ...
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