Strikers pounded by Hales storm

Alex Hales continued his incredible BBL run spree and push for an England return as Sydney Thunder booked a finals slot at the Strikers’ expense in Adelaide.

Sydney Thunder’s Alex Hales pounds a six against the Strikers at Adelaide Oval

Alex Hales continued his incredible BBL run spree and push for an England return as Sydney Thunder booked a finals slot at the Strikers’ expense in Adelaide.

The experience of former Test duo Hales (63 off 39 ball) and Callum Ferguson (46, 33) told after Usman Khawaja’s first-ball exit in a defining 116-run partnership that delivered a nine-wicket win.

With the three final games of the regular season to be played on Australia Day, the Strikers are under threat.

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Only the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers had locked in their finals pathway, joint top with 32 points.

The Thunder can plan for a second title shot while Adelaide must sweat on the Australia Day triple header featuring Brisbane (25 points) against Perth, the Renegades hosting Hobart (26) and the Stars (24) taking on the Sixers. A Brisbane, bonus-point win against the Scorchers could punt Adelaide from the finals.

The Thunder chewed up the winning total of 116 — rain affected target — in 12.1 overs to bank a bonus point win and third spot on the ladder.

Having crunched 110 against the Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, Hales continued his quest for an England recall with another display of brutal hitting.

The Bash Boost point was available after seven overs with the Strikers only posting 38 at the halfway mark. Pursuing the Boost caused a 4-15 collapse and total Thunder unravelling on Sunday. This time the Thunder held their nerve.

Hales reached 49 with a blow into the western stand that was a BBL-record breaking 29th six of the season.

Rangy opener Hales’ 30th six capped a third half century this campaign. This was a Hales-storm for Adelaide with the Thunder talisman now on a league-high 535 runs this season.

The humid conditions were tailor made for Daniel Worrall and the swingman up-ended Khawaja’s stumps for the opener’s maiden BBL duck but that was it for Adelaide.

Jake Weatherald (80, 47) found the timing, poise and control that was hard on a night made for bowlers with a 12th BBL half-century when it counted. Undefeated Weatherald’s one-man crusade accounted for 80 of a 4-115 total.

Weatherald carried his bat while featuring in a crucial, rearguard stand of 63 with ever reliable Jon Wells (21, 18) that ensured a respectable total. The Strikers had slumped to 3-35 inside seven overs with Alex Carey (2), Phil Salt (1) and Travis Head (2) in the sheds.

It was Weatherald’s third half century of the competition for a tally of 401 runs at a purring 140 strike rate.

It was a sterling effort to contribute eight boundaries and four sixes against an attack with yorker king Brendan Doggett (1-19), New Zealand international Adam Milne and Nathan McAndrew (1-8) firing.

Spin wasn’t expected to influence the result on an arena that soaked up 21 millimetres of rain. Tweakers Tanveer Sangha (1-20) and Chris Green (1-19) had snared No 3 Salt and skipper Travis Head in a serious blow to Adelaide’s hope of a winning total.

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