BBL As it Happened: The Thunder book their first BBL final in nine years

The Sydney Thunder have booked their first BBL final in nine years, beating their crosstown rivals the Sixers in a thrilling Challenger Final at the SCG.

The Thunder will now go to Hobart to take on the Hurricanes on Monday, and were driven by a combination of Sam Billings brilliant and brave innings of 42 runs and Nathan McAndrew’s late cameo of 19 from seven deliveries that ultimately provided decisive.

The Sixers had set the Thunder with a very achievable target of 152 to chase after captain David Warner had frustrated the home side, expertly rotating his bowlers working closely with Chris Green. Wes Agar’s and Tom Andrew’s two wickets a piece never allowed the Sixers to get going with Jordan Silk unbeaten on 43 the pick of the home side’s batters.

Warner’s energy in the field had been high and he increased it with the bat, clubbing a huge six from his first delivery. It wasn’t to last, Warner was caught on 11 to give his team some nerves early.

Billings came in at number four and the wicketkeeper held his side’s innings together when the Sixer’s impressive spinner Jafer Chohan acted as a single brake pad to slow the Thunder’s run rate up to a crawl.

Billings kept working to find runs and built a small partnership with Green who departed with 15 valuable runs from 14 deliveries. The final ball of the game was reserved for McAndrew who dispatched it for six to clinch a famous victory.

Billings paid credit to his batting partner in helping to the Thunder finish the job against a Sixers team that refused to give up.

“It’s always better when you feel like you’ve got control and you’re out there and you can do something about it (the run chase), it’s way worse watching, so yeah, it was nice,” Billings said. “I thought Macca (McAndrew) played brilliantly at the end. I think it’s important in run chases like that. It can’t just come from one person and the intent to keep on and the courage to take it on was really key there.”

Sam Billings and Nathan McAndrew of the Thunder celebrate victory during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket GroundCredit: Getty Images

With his team desperately needed some inspiration, Billings steps up with a monster six that draws warm applause from his captain David Warner.

The pressure was building and Billings shrugged it off. It’s gone miles into the Bill O’Reilly stand.

We’re back to a run a ball. 12 balls, 12 runs needed.

Thunder 6-140 (after 18 overs)

Garton is on strike to face the first ball of the surge with Kerr bowling and gets a quick single to get Billings onto strike.

There’s some frantic shuffling in the field, and two balls later Garton is bowled. He is gone for two.

We are have a thriller here. The Sixers do not know when they are out of a contest.

Thunder 6-131 (after 17 overs)

Chris Green is bowled by Jack Edwards. This game is not over.

The bad news for the Sixers is that Sam Billings is still out in the middle on 35 from 27 and he is building.

The pressure is building for both teams and we have a thrilling finale.

A reminder we haven’t had the surge yet either.

Thunder 5-128 (after 16 overs)

Hugh Weibgen of the Thunder is bowled by Hayden Kerr of the Sixers during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket Ground Credit: Getty Images

Billings dispatches Chohan for his first four, but the spinner has been acting as a one man brake pad on this Thunder run chase.

He has one wicket and has an economy rate 5.50 per over. If he can keep slowing down Billings and Green we are in for a thrilling finish.

Thunder 4-114 (after 15 overs)

Sam Billings of the Thunder bats during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket Ground Credit: Getty Images

Hugh Weibgen is bowled beautifully by Hayden Kerr. The pressure was building and Weibgen is gone for eight.

Sam Billings is shaping up as the prized wicket for the Sixers, with the wicket keeper looking good on 22. It’s game on here.

Thunder 4-101 (after 13 overs)

Matthew Gilkes of the Thunder looks dejected after being run out during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket GroundCredit: Getty Images

The Sixers have really pulled the Thunder back here, the run rate is slowly grinding down and a lot of credit needs to go to Moises Henriques and how he has used his bowlers, specifically the spin of Jafer Chohan.

With 10 overs to go the game is absolutely in the balance. You sense advantage Sixers.

Thunder 3-79 (after 10 overs)

Mitchell Perry of the Sixers celebrates with his team mates after taking yhe wicket of David Warner of the Thunder during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket Ground Credit: Getty Images

We are seeing more close ups than a Tarantino film to see whether Gilkes was run out trying for two.

The difficulty was Edwards broke the stumps just as the ball did, and eventually, and I stress eventually, the third umpire is satisfied that it was the ball, not Edward’s fingers.

Gilkes will be filthy with that, but it’s a fair decision.

Sixers are fighting back here.

Thunder 3-74 (after nine overs)

Jason Sangha of the Thunder bats during the BBL The Challenger match between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at Sydney Cricket GroundCredit: Getty Images