Adelaide Strikers take down the Perth Scorchers by 16 runs
Adelaide Strikers brushed aside Perth Scorchers to notch their fourth win in a row and retake second spot on the Big Bash ladder.
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The Adelaide Strikers have survived an early boundary blitzkrieg from Liam Livingstone to post a 16-run win over the Perth Scorchers at Optus Stadium.
Strikers opener Philip Salt (59 off 31 balls) made the most of an early life to help power the visitors to 5-181 on Friday night.
In reply, the Scorchers were restricted to 7-165, despite the best efforts of Livingstone (79 off 54).
Livingstone cracked one four and seven sixes - the biggest of which was a 109m monster down the ground.
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But the only other batsman to put up any real fight was tail-ender Jhye Richardson, who bludgeoned 16 off four balls in the dying overs in front of 29,636 fans.
Paceman Wes Agar snared 3-36 to help lift Adelaide to their fourth win on the trot, with his wickets including dangermen Livingstone, Mitch Marsh, and Josh Inglis.
The result saw the Strikers retake second spot, with Adelaide ahead of the third-placed Sydney Sixers by a significant net run rate.
It means the Strikers will almost certainly finish second if they can beat the Hobart Hurricanes in Adelaide on Sunday.
The fourth-placed Scorchers will secure a finals berth if they can beat the Thunder in Sydney on Sunday, but a loss could see them tumble as low as seventh. Salt was dropped on four when Ashton Agar failed to hang on to a tough chance while running with the flight of the ball.
The Strikers opener made the most of the life, cracking seven fours and two sixes in a 71-run opening stand with Jake Weatherald (35 off 24).
Agar finally got his man when Salt stumbled out of his crease and was stumped by Inglis, with the score already at 1-97 in the 10th over.
The Strikers looked set for a score in excess of 200 at that stage, but some disciplined bowling helped put on the brakes.
Adelaide managed just 36 runs off the last five overs, with spinner Fawad Ahmed, Matt Kelly, and Richardson bowling tightly when it mattered most. Ahmed went off the field for the final few overs after hurting his foot while attempting to stop a powerful Wells drive.