Matt Short launches Strikers into BBL finals, ends Stars’ hopes

Adelaide Strikers 141 for 1 (M Short 74*, Weatherald 47*) beat Sydney Thunder 140 (Hales, 43, Pope 4-22, Overton 3-26) by 9 wickets

In sealing a spot within the high 4, Short clubbed an excellent 74 not out as Strikers chased Thunder’s 140 with 9 wickets and 23 balls to spare at Manuka Oval on Sunday evening.

They’ll face Perth Scorchers or the Sydney Sixers in an elimination ultimate and so they take some critical kind there, having gained 4 straight video games.

In comparability, Short appeared unstoppable from the second he strode into the center, shortly displaying the kind of kind that is seen him smash six half-centuries in 9 innings.

Short praised his staff’s potential to hit their straps on the pointy-end of the competitors.

“We made it pretty hard for ourselves the last few games obviously having to win the last four or five to keep our hopes alive,” he instructed reporters. “Very happy with the boys, we hit form at the right time and I’m looking forward to next week. We were at the bottom of the ladder at some stage there, to turn that around and get the wins and make the finals, it’s a real credit to the boys.”

Short’s outstanding batting kind, which has earned him a call-up to the Australian ODI facet, is certain to be a trump card for Strikers in finals.

“I’ve always put a big emphasis on starting the tournament well, getting a bit of momentum early on and rolling through, which I think I did pretty well,” he stated. “The challenge was to sustain that which I haven’t in the last couple of years, I’ve finished tournaments pretty poorly. I’m pretty proud of being able to go on with the tournament and the start I had.”

Contributions decrease down the order from skipper Chris Green and Matt Gilkes helped the Thunder construct a considerably respectable rating, earlier than they had been bowled out with 4 balls to spare.

Top-order gamers Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Ollie Davies all fell cheaply. Spinner Pope did his half in cleansing up Thunder’s tail, together with bowling Green and Nathan McAndrew in consecutive balls. He did not get his hat-trick however settled for the following neatest thing, knocking over Liam Hatcher a ball later.