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There won't be Perth Scorchers in this year's BBL final as they were completely outclassed by the Strikers. Three teams left in this tournament and one is already in Sydney as they await the winner of the Challenger match between Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers. Matt Short's troops will head to Gold Coast to take on Heat and that will be a cracker on Monday.
The Strikers are on a streak at the moment and they will hold the favourites tag ahead of their match against the Heat. Wickets in Gold Coast is slow and favours spin and that would be an added boost for them. Let's find out what happens on Monday, until then, this is Pragadeesh signing off on behalf of my fellow colleague Probuddha. Ciao
Lloyd Pope (Player of the Match) : The strategy is to use the longer side. There is a huge huge side and I was just trying to use that. When I came into the side the Stirkers were not doing great. The skipper said to enjoy the time and play with full freedom. But now we have to get serious as we approach the business end. We are just taking one game at a time. The Heat are a great side and we are looking forward to play them on Monday.
Adelaide Strikers won by 50 runs Jake Weatherald 56(32) | Sam Fanning 31(22) Lloyd Pope 4-24 (4) | Cooper Connolly 2-17 (3)
The Scorchers fell apart in front of their home fans in this crunch game. They were in the familiar territory and usually live up to the expectations in knockouts but not today as they fell prey to the Strikers' spin duo of Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Pope. Did anyone give the strikers a chance at the halfway stage? Well, many would've questioned their set-up for going spin-heavy at this Optus ground but they shut the critics by delivering a stupendous performance.
It was a hard watch for Short when Fanning was taking the bowlers on inside the powerplay but once Thornton removed him, Boyce and Pope stole the show in the middle. Matt Short kept his pacers away and plagued the batters with spin from both ends. The Scorchers' batters can't pick up even the straight ones from the leggies and kept find their way back to the dugout.
It was a big let off by the Scorchers, and despite Cooper Connolly showcasing his prowess with the bat, he didn't get ideal support at the other end. Matt Short's captaincy and smart bowling changes would be a big talking point, and moreover, his jaw-dropping catch to remove Hobson would be remembered forever
ALL OVER? Bazley has taken a catch to remember but the umpires want to check whether it's been taken cleanly. The soft signal is OUT. Bazley is confident. The replay suggests the catch has been taken cleanly and we get a confirmation on the big screen. The Strikers dismantle the Scorchers and knocked them out of the tournament
16.2 Cameron Boyce to Cooper Connolly, IN THE AIR AND TAKEN!!!! Tossed up at the middle stump. Connolly steps down the track and lofts it to the long-on region. He does not get the timing right. Bazley in the deep takes the catch and then flicks the ball back to go over the fence. He comes back and completes the catch. The catch is being checked here. The replays show that is a clean catch. So THAT IS IT!!!! The Strikers have bundled out the Scorchers and won this by 50 runs.
16.1 Cameron Boyce to Cooper Connolly, SIX!!! Tossed up outside the off stump. Connolly steps down the track and goes inside out over covers for a maximum.
16.1 Cameron Boyce to Cooper Connolly, Full and down the leg. Connolly misses the flick and that is signalled a wide.
Cameron Boyce [3-0-14-2] is back into the attack
Pope is all over the Scorchers' tailenders. Another incredible spell from the canny leggie and registers another four-fer in this tournament. Pin-drop silence inside Optus and the Strikers are one wicket away to book the place in the Challenger
16
overs
98/9score
6
0
1
W
0
W
runs
Jason Behrendorff*
0(2)
Cooper Connolly
25(20)
Lloyd Pope
4/24
15.6 Lloyd Pope to Jason Behrendorff, BOWLED HIM!!! Pope you beauty!!! Full and again the wrong one. Behrendorff looks to drive that but the ball sneaks in through the gate to clatter into the stumps. Pope has picked up four here.