The Sydney Thunder have turned around an ugly run of form to claim a 46-run win after hitting the biggest score in BBL history against the Sydney Sixers.
The Thunder came into the match having lost four of the last five matches but the second century of the season by Alex Hales saw the Thunder get a monster 5/232.
It beat the previous record of 223 by the Hobart Hurricanes as Hales claimed his first ever BBL century.
The Englishman was in fine form as he took the golden hat for the highest run scorer for the season as he plundered 110 off just 56 balls with nine fours and eight sixes at the Adelaide Oval.
He joined the Strikers' Alex Carey in the BBL|10 century club, after the Adelaide star was the first to tally a ton this season just one night earlier.
Hales reached his century off just 51 balls.
Alex Hales has scored his first BBL ton.
But Fox Commentator Brendan Julian jumped the gun in a reminder of how difficult it is to call the game off a TV screen.
On 94, Hales got a juicy full toss and smacked it, looking to go big.
"Full toss, could it be?" Julian said. "Yes it's a hundred... no."
The commentary box erupted in laughter as Mark Waugh and Alyssa Healy stayed quiet.
"I thought he nailed that," Julian said after the ball fell just short of the Sixers' Carlos Brathwaite on the boundary.
Through laughter, Waugh said: "I'm with you BJ, off the stick I thought that was six."
The next ball was hit over the offside and away for four with Julian saying "what about this one? Could this be the hundred? It is."
Alex Hales is the sixth player to score a century for @ThunderBBL after David Warner, Chris Gayle, Usman Khawaja (twice), Shane Watson and Callum Ferguson. https://t.co/4fdFABvnmu
Hales said the innings was in the "top five" innings he's had in his career.
"it's a massive win for us confidence-wise," he said. "The last few games haven't gone to plan so for us to put in a huge performance tonight, hopefully it shifts the momentum and we can get on a little roll now and make sure we qualify for finals."
After 18 overs, the Thunder were 3/204 and got over the top in the last over.
Ben Cutting also hit 33 off 14 balls in a helpful cameo as the Thunder.
While it's the biggest score in BBL history, the Thunder have actually now scored the three biggest scores in the club's history this year.
Needing just under 12 runs an over, the Sixers started brightly with Josh Philippe and James Vince getting off to a flyer.
But a mistake saw Philippe caught short for 20 off 11 balls and despite Vince scoring 38 off 23, Moises Henriques getting 56 off 35 and Jordan Silk getting 42 off 30, the side couldn't match the hitting of the Thunder.
Philippe was caught short and it was the beginning of the end for the Sixers.
The Sixers only managed two sixes for the entire innings compared to the Thunder's 15.
After 12 games, the Sixers are top of the ladder, while the win moves the Thunder back up to third on the ladder with just six points between third and seventh after the Scorchers wrapped up their spot in the finals earlier today.
Updates
Thunder claim first point
The Thunder have won the Bash Boost after setting the biggest score in BBL history.
The Thunder were on 110 after 10 overs but the Sixers could only manage 3/87.
The Thunder even accelerated in the back 10, piling on the runs, leaving the Sixers needing 146 off the last 60 balls.
It comes after Josh Philippe was caught short for 20 off 11 balls early in the piece.
He was at the non-strikers end when James Vince hit the ball to cover but a nice bit of fielding from Callum Ferguson gave him the chance and Tanveer Sangha got the bails off just in time.
Philippe was the leading run scorer in the competition before Alex Hales' century handed him the golden cap.
Daniel Hughes chopped on Vince was caught but while the Sixers are flying, after 12 overs, the side need 16 an over.
Hilarious mistake in all-time BBL madness
Alex Hales has joined the BBL|10 century club, plundering 100 off just 51 balls in a brutal knock.
The Thunder were chasing a record total on the back of the Englishman's brutal knock.
Alex Hales is the sixth player to score a century for @ThunderBBL after David Warner, Chris Gayle, Usman Khawaja (twice), Shane Watson and Callum Ferguson. https://t.co/4fdFABvnmu
Hilariously, Brendan Julian reminded the cricket world of the problem with calling the game off the TV.
On 94, Hales got a juicy full toss and smacked it, looking to go big.
"Full toss, could it be?" Julian said. "Yes it's a hundred… no."
The commentary box erupted in laughter as Mark Waugh and Alyssa Healy stayed quiet.
"I thought he nailed that," Julian said.
Through laughter, Waugh said: "I'm with you BJ, off the stick I thought that was six."
The next ball was hit over the offside and away for four with Julian saying "what about this one? Could this be the hundred? It is."
After 18 overs, the Thunder were 3/204, chasing the all-time BBL record score of 223.
The side did it in the final over, reaching 5/232 off the 20 overs and setting the Sixers a chase of near 12 an over from the outset.
Hales didn't quite make it to the end, being dismissed in the penultimate over for 110 off 56 balls.
Hales slams 26-ball 50
Alex Hales is in a mood tonight, having hit four sixes and five fours as he raced to the milestone.
The Thunder are racing along, having hit 1/86 off eight overs so far.
Brutal injury sends Thunder into tailspin
After three straight losses, the Sydney Thunder are on the verge of missing the finals.
But while they currently sit in fifth, the side will also miss key allrounder Daniel Sams, with the star out for the last three games of the regular season.
Sams has 10 wickets at 22.9 as one of the Thunder's key strike bowlers, but has taken off with the bat this season with 199 runs at 49.75 as he has set the side up with late hitting.
Batting at a strike rate of nearly two runs a ball, Sams has been important for the side.
And they will be without him for the final few games of the season after he fell on his hand, suffering bone and ligament damage as his body weight landed on his hand.
“It’s a real shame for Dan – he’s been playing outstanding cricket,” said Bond on the eve of the Sydney Smash match against the Sixers at Adelaide Oval.
“He’ll miss the next three games, but, remember, I’ve always spoken about the depth of our squad.
“I think you can use Perth’s win over Brisbane without their all-rounder Mitchell Marsh [side strain] as an example of a team showing that the depth of their squad was important. It’s now up to the players in the team to step up to fill that void left by Dan.”
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