BBL 2016-17, Match 25 Review: Fawad, Brathwaite shines for Thunder in Sydney derby

Sydney Thunder kept their hopes alive in the BBL by winning the Sydney Derby at the SCG comprehensively by 8 wickets today. It was an exceptional bowling performance by the Thunder after the Sixers won the toss and opted to bat. It was a pathetic batting display by the star-studded batting line-up who had very recently roped in the services of hard-hitting Kiwi batsman Colin Munro. While Fawad Ahmed was the pick of the Thunder bowlers with 4 wickets to his name, his Caribbean teammate Carlos Brathwaite supported him very well and chipped in with 3 wickets. The Thunder rode on impressive performances by their openers and Ben Rohrer to complete the chase within 10 overs.

The Sixers began with a cautious approach but southpaw Michael Lumb soon upped the ante in only the 2^nd over by smashing Clint Mckay for a couple of crisp boundaries. But Lumb couldn’t carry on and was dismissed in the very next over of the bowling of offie Chris Green.  Lumb backed away too far and Green adjusted well and fired it wide. It was in the line of the off-stump and Lumb failed to make contact and ball crashed onto the off stump.

Southpaw Nic Maddinson joined Daniel Hughes in the middle with the score at 14/1. Hughes struck a monstrous six of Carlos Brathwaite in the 4^th over followed by a boundary in the next over of Chris Green. After hitting Watson for a boundary in the 2^nd delivery of the 6^th over, he was dismissed in the same over as he failed to put bat on a lethal Yorker by Shane Watson. It struck him adjacent to the stumps and the umpire ruled in favour of the bowler.

It was just the beginning of a procession as wickets started tumbling in regular intervals. Nic Maddinson and captain Moises Henriques was dismissed in successive deliveries by Fawad Ahmed as the leggie bamboozled them with his variations. While Maddinson fell to a wrong un, Henriques failed to time a leg break and ended up giving a simple catch to Ryan Gibbson stationed in the extra cover region. There was no respite for the Sixers as they lost Brad Haddin in the next over of Carlos Brathwaite and there was no way back for them.

Wickets continued to tumble and especially Fawad Ahmed was terrific with his variations. Eventually, the Sixers finished their allotted 20 overs with a paltry score of 99. Opener Daniel Hughes was the top scorer with 20.

Chasing a meagre 100 runs to chase, openers Kurtis Patterson and JJames Vince began in an aggressive fashion and struck boundaries consistently in the powerplay overs. Vince began with a boundary in the final delivery of the first bowler which set things rolling for the Thunders. Patterson followed it up with a couple of boundaries in the very next over of Johan Botha. Vince again took on Jackson Bird in the 3^rd over and struck one four and a monstrous six.

No.1 Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon received special treatment from Vince as the right-hander smashed the offie for 3 boundaries in the 5^th over. Vince eventually gave away his wicket in the 6^th over of the innings to Sean Abbott but by then he and Patterson had set the foundation for an easy chase. Hard-hitting batsman Shane Watson too fell in the same over after hitting a boundary in the 3rd delivery of the over.

Ben Rohrer who joined Patterson in the middle eventually finished off the match in the 10^th over by hitting a couple of fours and a six of the bowling of Sean Abbott. While Patterson remained unbeaten on 38, Rohrer was undefeated on 26 of 13 balls. Sean Abbott was the only wicket taker for the Sixers who finished with 2/36 in his allotted 4 overs.

Brief Scores

Sydney Sixers 99/9 in 20 overs (Daniel Hughes 20, Fawad Ahmed 4/14, Carlos Brathwaite 3/21)

Sydney Thunder 100/2 in 10 overs (Kurtis Patterson 38*, James Vince 28, Sean Abbott 2/36)

Sydney Thunder won by 8 wickets (with 60 balls remaining)