Test No.3s Usman Khawaja and James Vince to boost Sydney Thunder’s faint BBL finals hopes
FRESH from his 171 in the Ashes, Usman Khawaja has been backed to immediately adapt to the explosive Twenty20 format and help save the Sydney Thunder’s Big Bash hopes.
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FRESH from his 171 in the Ashes, Usman Khawaja has been backed to immediately adapt to the explosive Twenty20 format and help save the Sydney Thunder’s Big Bash hopes.
The Thunder need to win their remaining four matches to make the finals, starting with the Perth Scorchers at Spotless Stadium Wednesday night.
While the Scorchers will have less than 48 hours to cross the country and back up against the Thunder — and cope without quicks Jhye Richardson and Andrew Tye who join the Australian one-day team — the western Sydney franchise welcome Khawaja and England Test No. 3 James Vince.
Thunder coach Paddy Upton had several good reasons to believe Khawaja would make an immediate impact in the shortest form of the game after devoting months focusing on the Ashes.
“’Uzzy’ had an unbelievable season for us two years ago when we won it, he’s coming off a good run of form, and while I know Test cricket is different to T20, he’s able to play good, strong attacking shots around the ground,’’ Upton told The Daily Telegraph.
“Test cricket you place the highest value on your wicket, and he’s been doing that half the summer.
“He needs to suddenly realise he (can) devalue his wicket and play high-risk shots and be carefree. He’ll throw his hands through the ball rather than waiting for the bad ball.
“Guys like Uzzy, he’s an expressive individual, and it’s always easier for expressive individuals to make the adjustments because it’s in line with their personalities. The more conservative, introverted individuals can take longer.’’
Upton said Khawaja had been with the Thunder from the beginning so there was a “sense of loyalty’’ from a gifted batsman who was “a very, very funny man and someone who is an energiser’’.
The 31-year-old who hails from Sydney’s west but now calls Queensland home was brilliant at the SCG, and posted another two half-centuries during the England Ashes rout.
Snubbed for Australia’s white-ball campaign, Khawaja is surprisingly lethal with the bat, especially two summers ago when he racked up two centuries for the BBL-winning Thunder.
Vince also impressed in his first summer in suburbia last year, even missing the birth of his first child to fulfil his Thunder obligations, and will add plenty of class to the line-up that had been carried by Shane Watson and Jos Buttler, who will be replaced by fellow Pom Vince.
Victory on Sunday night could have allowed the Thunder to lose one of their four remaining games, but they no longer have that luxury.
Upton said “statistically’’ teams who won T20 tournaments around the globe were the ones with momentum heading into the finals, rather than teams who burst out of the blocks and whose early points often ‘’papered over the cracks’’.
Khawaja and Vince had to put up with Sydney’s stifling heat and are not expected to train with their Thunder teammates before the Scorchers clash.