Horror review blunder proves costly as Scorchers topple Strikers on New Year’s Eve

A BBL record ninth-wicket partnership wasn’t enough to save the Strikers from a fourth loss, and they only have themselves to blame.

A Big Bash record ninth-wicket partnership wasn’t enough to save the Adelaide Strikers from a fourth loss, Finn Allen belting a crucial half-century as the Perth Scorchers spoiled the New Year’s Eve party for the sellout crowd at Adelaide Oval.

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Chasing a modest total of 143, the visitors were struggling at 2-5, but Allen and Cooper Connolly combined for an 84-run partnership that took the game away from Adelaide, Perth running down the target with 33 balls remaining to win by seven wickets.

With skipper Matt Short out injured, the Strikers lost 6-18 in a disastrous 31-ball period to be 6-35 in the eighth over after being sent in, with Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff outstanding. 

The Strikers suffered their fourth defeat of their BBL campaign as missed chances in the field proved costly against the Scorchers. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Ollie Pope was the first to go, caught in the deep in the third over, with Richardson on a hat-trick after removing Jamie Overton and Liam Scott with the first two balls of the eighth over.

Richardson finished with figures of 3-29 from his four overs, and Behrendorff 2-14 from his four-over spell.

Adelaide quick Brendan Doggett and leg spinner Cameron Boyce came together with the score 8-58 in the 11th over and offered surprise resistance with a record ninth-wicket partnership of 84 runs from 60 balls.

Doggett eclipsed his previous BBL high score of 10 with an unbeaten 47 from 39 balls that reinvigorated the stunned home fans, with Boyce chiming in with an unbeaten 29 off 22 balls.

But missed chances in the field cruelled any hope of Adelaide’s first New Year’s Eve victory since 2018.

The result leaves the Strikers struggling to make finals with just one win from their first five games, while the Scorchers made it three wins from five games.

KEY MISSES

The Strikers did well to have the Scorchers struggling at 2-10 after three overs, but it could have been so much better for the home side.

Matty Hurst was dropped after a mix-up between Boyce and Jamie Overton and Jake Weatherald also put down a chance within the first two overs of the chase.

In a key moment in the match, the Strikers could have had the Scorchers reeling at 3-10 in the third over. 

Connolly, the competition’s leading run scorer, was given a life on four runs when he feathered a Doggett delivery to Ollie Pope behind the stumps.

The wicketkeeper didn’t hear the edge and didn’t appeal, with Doggett only offering a half-hearted question of the umpire, who shook his head.

However, replays showed the ball had clearly hit the edge.

To make matters worse, Allen was dropped by stand-in skipper Alex Ross when he was on 11.

The missed chance on Connolly comes only days after the Melbourne Stars had Sam Billings run out in their loss to the Thunder but opted against appealing - with Billings the man to put the match out of the Stars’ reach.

Cooper Connolly made the most of his lifeline after the Strikers failed to appeal.

SHORT STRUCK DOWN

Star skipper Matt Short was withdrawn from the squad after breaking a toe during his quickfire half-century in the loss to the Hobart Hurricanes.

“It’s all a little up in the air still,” Short replied on Fox Cricket when asked when he will be fit to return.

“We were pushing to play this game, we tried a couple of different things, but couldn’t get a jab over the line to try and numb it.

“Hopefully, it will only be this game, but we’ll see.”

Originally published as Horror review blunder proves costly as Scorchers topple Strikers on New Year’s Eve