Stars down Strikers in Adelaide

Updated December 28, 2012 10:47:16

A top-shelf showing from vintage batsman Brad Hodge inspired the Melbourne Stars to an eight-run victory against the Adelaide Strikers in Thursday night's Twenty20 match in Adelaide.

Hodge cracked a sparkling 88 from 58 balls as the Stars posted 8 for 175, with the Strikers finishing 4 for 167 in reply.

The Stars, with their fourth consecutive win, took second spot on the Big Bash League ladder from Adelaide.

The Strikers' never seriously threatened to reel in their target despite a star turn from Kieron Pollard (65 from 43 balls) and solid contributions from Callum Ferguson (35 from 28) and Tim Ludeman (30 from 21).

Adelaide's hopes of pinching a win before a sell-out 15,344 home crowd hinged on gun import Pollard.

But the West Indian could not engineer a big-hitting miracle despite whacking four sixes and five fours in his unbeaten knock.

The Strikers needed 27 to win from the final over and, after his side was mathematically out of the match, Pollard smashed two 100 metre-plus maximums and a four to add respectability to his side's score.

Melbourne's import Lasith Malinga was instrumental in restricting the home side, the Sri Lankan paceman taking 1 for 29 from four shrewd overs.

Fellow paceman James Faulkner also claimed an important 2 for 32 from four overs but his team-mate Hodge was the hero with a sensational performance with the bat.

Hodge underpinned the Stars' innings with the veteran dominating scoring - when dismissed in the 15th over, Hodge had made 88 of the visitors' 129 runs.

Two days shy of his 38th birthday, Hodge was vicious on all bowlers and plundered 10 fours and three sixes.

Hodge's assault set the Stars on a path towards a massive total, but when he was dismissed they lost momentum - his wicket started a slump of 6 for 32.

Hodge's opening partner Rob Quiney made 22 from 12 balls but no other Stars batsman passed 17 runs, while Adelaide quick Shaun Tait (2 for 36 from four overs) was the only multiple wicket taker for the home side.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, adelaide-5000, melbourne-3000

First posted December 27, 2012 23:18:04

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Strikers down Hurricanes to boost BBL chances

Updated January 05, 2013 23:15:46

Adelaide Strikers gave themselves a real chance of a top-four finish with a comprehensive 38-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes at the Bellerive Oval.

Playing in front of a hazy backdrop - the result of bushfires in Tasmania - Strikers skipper Johan Botha won the toss and, unusually for this tournament, elected to bat first.

The move looked to have backfired when Tim Ludeman (3) and Kieron Pollard (9) fell early but Michael Klinger (71 not out) and Callum Ferguson (33) did not let the run rate drop as they put on 59 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by Owais Shah.

Nathan Reardon (29) then gave former captain Klinger support in the middle and after he fell in the final over, Botha (12 not out) remarkably hit fours from each of the three deliveries he faced - two via reverse sweeps.

A target of 163 did not seem beyond perhaps the strongest batting lineup in the tournament and especially not when, following Aiden Blizzard's dismissal for a duck, Tim Paine (33) and Ricky Ponting (26) were at the crease.

After treating his home crowd to some superb pull shots, Ponting was caught at point by Botha as he looked to attack leg-spinner Cameron Boyce.

Boyce also took the crucial wickets of Paine, who holed out to long off, and Travis Birt (1) who was a victim of perhaps the catch of the tournament from Kane Richardson who made a diving one-handed grab while running backwards from long off.

Richardson then bowled Shah (9) and after two fours George Bailey (17) joined him in the sheds in the following over.

Xavier Doherty and Ben Laughlin gave some respectability to the scoreline putting on an unbeaten 23 for the final wicket but never threatened the Strikers' total, the home side finishing on 8 for 124 off the full 20 overs.

Both sides now have 8 points, with the Strikers up to third - above the Melbourne Stars on run rate - and the Hurricanes just outside the top four in fifth.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, hobart-7000, adelaide-5000

First posted January 05, 2013 22:14:30

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Murali puts Strikers in tailspin

Updated January 02, 2013 23:59:26

A supreme bowling effort from Renegades' star man Muttiah Muralidaran sealed a 48-run win over the Strikers which sends the Melbourne outfit to the top of the ladder.

While his long-time rival has struggled to show his best form in this year's tournament, Muralidaran (3 for 18) looks as good as ever and three wickets in the space of four deliveries all but ended the Strikers' chance of chasing down 156 to win at Docklands.

The Strikers won the toss and sent the Renegades into bat and the game was going their way with the home team's dangermen Aaron Finch (13) and Marlon Samuels (16) back in the sheds for relatively little damage.

Ben Roehrer again showed his worth with a fine 35 before Tom Cooper's 59 lifted the score to 6 for 155.

Nathan Rimmington dismissed both Strikers' openers and Samuels (3 for 16) took the wicket of Callum Ferguson to have the visitors in trouble at 3 for 40 after 7.3 overs.

This situation was made parlous when Muralidaran dismissed Nathan Reardon with the last ball of his second over and then Kieron Pollard and Theo Doropoulos with the first two balls of his third.

Johan Botha (31) and Michael Neser (29 not out) then put on 44 runs for the seventh wicket before Samuels returned to the attack to dismiss the Strikers skipper.

Kane Richardson was then dismissed by the next delivery and the last two wickets fell quickly as the Strikers slipped to a meagre 108 all out.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, melbourne-3000, adelaide-5000

First posted January 02, 2013 22:51:07

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Scorchers bury Strikers in Adelaide

Updated January 11, 2013 07:54:07

Shaun Marsh and his Perth Scorchers went on a record run spree to crush the Adelaide Strikers by 98 runs on Thursday night and earn a Big Bash League home semi-final.

Marsh smacked 79 from 60 balls to become the tournament's top run-scorer as Perth amassed 4 for 189 a record high score in this summer's Twenty20 series.

The Strikers then crashed to 91 all out in 18.3 overs in a woeful run chase to end their season in front of a sell-out 17,000-strong crowd at Adelaide Oval.

The win enabled Perth to snatch second spot from the Melbourne Stars and book a home semi-final next Wednesday night, while Adelaide's net run rate took such a hit that no result between Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday night will squeeze the Strikers into the semi-finals.

Marsh smashed eight fours and two sixes to top the run-scoring list with 328 ahead of Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch (309 runs), whose team will host a semi-final next Tuesday night.

Marsh and Herschelle Gibbs (54 from 34 balls) built a perfect platform for the Scorchers with a 95-run opening stand from 12.1 overs.

In the process, they took down Adelaide's Test spinner Nathan Lyon, whose only over cost 17 runs and included three consecutive fours to Marsh.

The in-form left-hander was dismissed in the penultimate over as Adam Voges (35 from 18 balls) continued the plundering of Adelaide's bowlers.

The Strikers' run chase was cruelled by early wickets, 2 for 5 after eight balls with Michael Klinger (0) and Travis Head (4) out.

Tim Ludeman (11), Nathan Reardon (0) and Callum Ferguson (13) soon followed and Adelaide was a hopeless 5 for 39 in the ninth over, requiring a run rate approaching 13 runs an over to win.

Scorchers paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile dismissed four batsmen yet curiously finished with 3 for 12.

Coulter-Nile had Kane Richardson, yet to score, out hit wicket but Perth skipper Simon Katich, in unexplained generosity, called the batsman back to the crease.

Richardson finished with 20, the highest score for the Strikers.

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted January 10, 2013 22:40:43

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Strikers call up old spinner Young

Updated December 22, 2012 14:50:56

Almost a decade after retiring from first-class cricket, spinner Brad Young is in the frame to make his Big Bash League debut with the Adelaide Strikers.

Young, who played six one-day internationals for Australia in 1998-99, has been named in the Strikers' 13-man squad to host Sydney Sixers in Adelaide on Sunday.

Just two months shy of his 40th birthday, Young has replaced paceman Gary Putland.

Young's first-class career finished in 2003 and the left-arm tweaker was not even playing in Adelaide's grade ranks when signed by Strikers coach Darren Berry.

Young was playing in the Adelaide Turf competition when given the final spot on the Strikers' roster, with Berry encouraged by the spinner's training form.

"Better than we expected, to be perfectly honest," Berry said on Saturday of Young's return.

"Throughout the trials we were undecided between he and Mark Higgs, and Young took the prize.

"If we play three spinners, I have got no hesitation that he will do a job.

"He is still fit, he can still whack it a little bit too with the bat in the lower order.

"And he is one of those left-arm orthodox spinners not dissimilar to an Aaron O'Brien that bowls at the base of the stumps and uses his pace quite well.

"He will play in this tournament."

Young was summoned at the expense of Putland, rested with what Berry termed "general soreness".

"He (Putland) has had a fairly big workload leading into the Big Bash," Berry said.

"He has got a few niggles, nothing that will keep him out for too long."

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 22, 2012 14:50:56

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Roach likely out for Strikers clash

Updated December 13, 2012 11:35:16

Kemar Roach is unlikely to play for Brisbane in Thursday's Big Bash League clash with Adelaide as flight problems have delayed his arrival into Australia until late on Wednesday.

The pace bowler was delayed en route from Bangladesh where he played for the West Indies in the one-day international on Monday.

Kieron Pollard played in the same match and safely arrived in Adelaide in time to face the Heat.

Roach has not been as fortunate with his connections from Dhaka and, after initially being expected to arrive in Adelaide today, is now flying into Melbourne where he will likely stay the night before heading to South Australia hours before the match.

Speaking to ABC 612 Brisbane, Heat general manager Andrew Blucher suggested Roach was unlikely to take the field at the Adelaide Oval but said the decision would be left to coach Darren Lehmann.

Blucher conceded the Heat "did not bowl well enough" after being denied the services of Dale Steyn in defeat to the Hurricanes at the Gabba on Sunday, so the likely absence of another international quick came at a bad time.

With Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson away on international duty, it may be that Alister McDermott comes into the side.

Whatever the case, Brisbane will need a better contribution from Twenty20 international players James Hopes, Dan Christian and Thisara Perara who all went for 10 runs an over or more against the Hurricanes.

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, adelaide-5000

First posted December 12, 2012 19:25:59

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Pollard flies in for Strikers duty

Updated December 12, 2012 12:14:46

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard has arrived in Adelaide and is set to play in the Strikers' Big Bash match against the Brisbane Heat on Thursday night.

Pollard flew straight in from playing in the West Indies' 3-2 one-day international series loss to Bangladesh, before the Caribbean side won a one-off Twenty20 match against the Tigers by 18 runs.

Pollard was injured on the eve of last year's Big Bash series and is keen to make up make up for the setback in the current campaign.

Pollard says he wants to erase the disappointment of last summer in the domestic Twenty20 competition for the Strikers, starting with a win at Adelaide Oval tomorrow.

"I'm very keen, no practice for me today so hopefully I should be fit for the game tomorrow," he said.

"Obviously the disappointment of last year, coming all the way here and not being able to take part in any games, has been something that's been with me for the entire year so far. Im going to try and make amends for it.

"Im just here to do my best as I've always done for the past couple of years.

"Main difference now coming from Bangladesh where the wickets were a bit low and slower, and there's more bounce here [in Australia].

"It's just a matter of me getting in, getting that start and carrying the team to the end."

He says the Strikers have assembled a strong squad.

"It's a mixture of some old faces and new faces," he said.

"A couple of guys have left again this year to play different franchises, but having said that, they're all cricketers, as you can see from the first game, they won ... so I think [we have] a good bunch of guys.

"We still have Callum Ferguson, Shaun Tait is back, they have the skipper [Johan] Botha with a lot of experience as well."

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 12, 2012 11:56:55

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Hughes stars for Strikers in Perth

Updated December 11, 2012 08:58:14

Phil Hughes was the star as Adelaide Strikers opened their Big Bash account with a solid six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers at the WACA with four balls remaining.

The Scorchers won the toss and chose to bat, and a target of 170-plus was clearly the goal for Adam Voges and his men.

Some tight bowling and excellent fielding by the Strikers restricted Perth at key moments.

Shaun Marsh opened strongly for the Scorchers, hitting three fours and three sixes in his 57 off 45 balls, while Adam Voges held the innings together with 58 off 41 deliveries, and a cameo innings of 14 off five balls by Nathan Coulter-Nile helped Perth to 6 for 162 off their 20 overs.

For Adelaide, Gary Putland took 2 for 39, while Nathan Lyon, Saeed Ajmal and Johan Botha chipped in with a wicket each.

Adelaide started slowly, with just 24 runs off their first four overs, then Michael Klinger began to hit out before falling for 19 in the sixth over off Joe Mennie.

Hughes then took charge, flaying the bowling with nine fours and one six in a stellar knock of 74 off 48 balls - which took the game away from the home side - before he was out to Brad Hogg in the 15th over, leaving the Strikers at 3 for 111, still needing 52 runs to win.

Big-hitting Nathan Reardon then took over, with a powerful knock of 42 off 26 balls.

The critical moment was Reardon and Theo Doropoulos (12 off 11 balls) taking 19 runs off Ben Edmondson (1 for 35) in the 18th over.

Adelaide ticked off the total with a boundary from Doropoulos, with Hughes named man of the match.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, perth-6000, wa, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 10, 2012 01:19:04

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Stars book finals spot with win over Strikers

Updated January 20, 2012 09:35:55

Two wickets, a catch and a batting rescue job from reliable David Hussey have delivered the Melbourne Stars an MCG win over the Adelaide Strikers and a Big Bash semi-final berth.

The Stars, who chased down the Strikers' 125 all out with six wickets and seven balls to spare on Thursday night, will now play the Perth Scorchers in one semi-final at the WACA on Saturday night, with the Hobart Hurricanes to host the Sydney Sixers a day later in the other.

Hussey carried his side home with an unbeaten 41 from 36 balls, with captain Cameron White (28 from 30 balls) the main support.

The Strikers' dismal total batting first, kept low by seamer Clint McKay's 3 for 17, should have made for an easier Stars run-chase.

But they slumped to 3 for 38 inside seven overs.

The slump started with a piece of stunning reflex fielding by Nathan Lyon, to run out opener Rob Quiney (two) off his own bowling.

When Luke Wright (nine), coming off the tournament's highest individual score, and Adam Voges (16) also fell quickly, the game was up for grabs.

The turning point came at the start of the ninth over, with the Stars on 3 for 39.

Hussey mistimed a shot down the ground from ex-Victorian team-mate and legspinner Bryce McGain.

Had it been caught at long-off, the Stars would have been in a huge hole.

Instead, it just cleared fieldsman Alfonso Thomas and the boundary rope, helping the Stars to 12 from the over.

Some loose bowling by newly-signed New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin soon after further swung the match the Stars' way and put Hussey and White on track for a pivotal 64-run stand.

Earlier, Callum Ferguson (41 from 29 balls) played a lone hand with the bat for the Strikers.

The match was played in front of 26,133 spectators, which took the competition's regular season crowd aggregate to 504,663 from 28 games.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 19, 2012 22:06:31

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Gibbs and Hogg help Perth down Strikers

Updated January 09, 2012 06:03:48

Herschelle Gibbs continued his blistering form with the bat and Brad Hogg starred with the ball as the Perth Scorchers notched a 42-run victory over Adelaide Strikers at the WACA ground on Sunday night.

Gibbs (65 off 42 balls) and Marcus North (70 off 52) combined for a 102-run opening stand to lift the Scorchers to a formidable 5 for 184.

Former Test spinner Hogg then snared 3 for 20 off four overs as Adelaide were bowled out for 142 in 19.3 overs in front of 15,953 fans.

Perth's fourth win on the trot lifted the side to equal points with ladder-leading Hobart in the Big Bash League.

The Scorchers can all but secure a home semi-final with a win over Sydney Thunder at Sydney Olympic stadium on Wednesday.

Adelaide (2-3) face a fierce battle to finish in the top four and must win its home assignment against the Sydney Sixers on Tuesday.

The Strikers were cruising at 2 for 71 after seven overs as Michael Klinger (32 off 22) and Daniel Harris (31 off 18) got the visitors off to a bright start.

But the introduction of Hogg sparked Adelaide's downfall, with the evergreen 40-year-old and Michael Beer (1 for 22 off four overs) combining for 3 for 15 over the next four overs to effectively kill the contest.

Hogg could do no wrong, even running out Cameron Borgas at the non-strikers' end after deflecting Aaron O'Brien's straight drive onto the stumps.

Earlier, Gibbs struck ten fours and two sixes to post his third half-century from his past four innings.

Gibbs, with scores of 2, 57, 38, 69 and 65 for the tournament, terrorised the Strikers' attack as North played a good wingman role.

The Strikers only had themselves to blame for the daunting total, with some terrible fielding gifting Perth easy runs.

North was on just four when paceman Alfonso Thomas dropped a tough one-handed return catch and the Scorchers skipper was given another reprieve on 20 when James Muirhead grassed a sitter in the deep.

It capped a forgettable innings for Muirhead, who claimed two wickets but gave up a whopping 37 runs off his three overs.

Spinner Aaron O'Brien (0 for 24 off four overs) was the best of Adelaide's bowlers.

AAP

Tags: sport, twenty20, cricket, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted January 09, 2012 00:33:26

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Heat go down to Strikers

Updated January 04, 2012 11:10:47

Brisbane Heat's finals hopes went from lukewarm to stone cold, as the Adelaide Strikers registered a comprehensive 31-run victory in the Big Bash League (BBL) match at the Gabba.

Chasing 167 for victory to keep their slim finals hopes alive, the Heat (0-4) slumped to 6 for 70 after 10 overs in front of a disappointed crowd of 14,397.

The Strikers' baby-faced BBL debutant James Muirfield had a field day, claiming the key wickets of Michael Neser (1) off his first delivery and Chris Hartley (11), as well as taking a sharp catch to dismiss Matt Hayden (13), who belted two sixes in his short stay at the crease.

Callum Ferguson also played an important role, taking catches to dismiss Brisbane skipper Peter Forrest and Andrew Robinson cheaply before running out Heat dangerman Dan Christian (16), who was competing against his Redbacks team-mates, with a direct hit.

The contest was pretty much over when Chris Lynn was caught at third man for 19 as the hosts slumped to 7 for 90.

Steve Paulsen (35 not out) played a lone hand for the Heat but it was never going to be enough as they were bundled out for 135.

"They played pretty well and we didn't, simple as that," Forrest said.

"We spoke about our batting this week. We came out positive but we were thoroughly outplayed."

The wickets for the Strikers were shared between Kane Richardson (2 for 2), Brendan Drew (2 for 27) and Muirhead (2 for 17).

Earlier, Michael Klinger (53 runs off 44) and man-of-the-match Tom Cooper (43 not out off 27 balls) combined to steer the Strikers to 4 for 166.

Alister McDermott (2 for 31 from four overs) and Neser (1 for 16 from three overs) were the best bowlers for the Heat, while quick Ryan Harris, named as Australia's 12th man for the SCG Test against India, was solid with 0 for 29 (four overs).

Former Test off-spinner Nathan Hauritz had a bad night, conceding 40 runs off his four overs.

The Heat had some issues before the game even began with all-rounder Roelof van de Merwe receiving a one-match suspension and a "significant" fine on Tuesday after a Queensland Cricket disciplinary hearing.

The South Africa international had been caught over the legal blood alcohol level limit in a roadside breath-test on New Year's Day, the day after his 27th birthday.

New Zealand international Daniel Vettori, van de Merwe and possibly skipper James Hopes (knee) return for the Heat's clash with the unbeaten Hobart Hurricanes on Friday but their team's finals hopes are done and dusted.

The Strikers (2-2 record) take on Perth Scorchers at the WACA ground in Perth on Sunday.

AAP

Tags: sport, twenty20, cricket, brisbane-4000, adelaide-5000

First posted January 04, 2012 00:32:47

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Doherty downs Strikers for unbeaten Hurricanes

By Ciaran Baynes

Updated December 29, 2011 09:10:50

Hobart Hurricanes skipper Xavier Doherty led his side to a 14-run victory over the Adelaide Strikers in Wednesday night's T20 Big Bash League match at the Adelaide Oval.

Doherty took 4 for 17 as the Hurricanes defended their total of 4 for 171.

The left-arm spinner took the wickets of both openers and then returned to take two more in the 19th over but he was quick to pay tribute to his batsmen for making a competitive total.

"It was a really good effort by the boys - when you've got 170 on the board you'll win more often than not. As a bowler you enjoy having that many runs to play with," Doherty told Grandstand.

"Coming in at the end, when they need 15 an over, it's always going to go one way or the other but the wickets at the top of the innings were important. We knew [Aiden] Blizzard was a key player for them so to get rid of him was nice.

"We're three from three now and we have that winning feeling. Winning does become a habit especially in Twenty20 when the competition is so even."

After Doherty won the toss, Phil Jacques (41) and Jonathan Wells (34) put on 64 for the first wicket but at a relatively sluggish scoring rate, before Travis Birt (44 off 26 balls) and Owais Shah (36 not out off 18) helped the visitors accelerate to their winning total.

Following the dismissal of Strikers' openers David Klinger and Blizzard, the middle order could not find its groove until Cameron Borgas (31) and Tom Cooper (43 not out from 27) put on a 62-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Cooper gave the hosts hope with his big hitting, which included a big six onto the roof of the Chappell Stands.

Adelaide coach Darren Berry bemoaned the lack of support for Cooper at the end, as well as his side's inability to play Doherty.

"It came down to the last five overs - they got 66 off their last five and we could only manage 41," Berry said.

"It was a good game of cricket, but not good to be on the wrong side of it.

"We spoke about how we play Xavier Doherty and we certainly didn't execute that. He got 4 for 17, an outstanding performance.

"He's a really clever player in this format. We spoke about playing him straight down the ground and too many blokes got out playing across the line."

Hobart, an outsider at the start of the tournament, tops the table after winning all of its first three games.

The Strikers remain fourth with two points, ahead of Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers on net run rate.

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, tas, hobart-7000

First posted December 28, 2011 22:40:09

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Ton-up Gayle tears Strikers apart

Updated December 23, 2011 23:53:19

Chris Gayle effortlessly crunched a record-breaking century to lift the Sydney Thunder to a six-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers in Friday night's Big Bash League clash at the Olympic stadium.

Gayle made light work of the Strikers' total of 8 for 155, thumping 11 sixes - the most in a single T20 innings on Australian soil - to finish 100 not out off 54 balls and wrap up the win for the hosts with nine balls to spare.

"I was a bit nervous but once I hit a few balls and got that first boundary, then things got a bit easier," West Indies star Gayle said.

"To be honest I don't even know how many sixes I hit.

"It was a good innings and I can't complain."

There was no shortage of power in Gayle's thunderous strokeplay - but this was not the stereotypical match-winning Twenty20 knock.

In true Gayle style, it was cool. Very cool.

Gayle was never flustered and could never be accused of bashing; instead it was all about timing and panache as he sweetly sent the ball deep into the stands.

He also rotated the strike with aplomb and was never in a hurry.

There is a reason why most BBL franchises wanted the 32-year-old on their books, and the Gayle effect was in full display on Friday.

Although it was not always pretty.

When the Thunder's run-rate sagged in the 14th over, the crowd of 11,337 started to boo Craig Philipson for not getting Gayle on strike.

There threatened to be a late twist when Philipson was bowled by Aaron O'Brien, reducing the hosts to 4 for 100 and a required run-rate of almost 10 in the 15th over.

But Gayle held firm.

Four balls later, he planted a six off O'Brien over long on, and continued to march towards the Australian record for most sixes in a T20 dig, bringing up his ton off 53 balls with a pulled single on the leg side.

O'Brien, who finished with figures of 3 for 26, was in awe.

"It was pretty special wasn't it? There's not much I can say - it was just one of those innings," he said.

Usman Khawaja scored 15 in his first hit-out since being left out of the Boxing Day Test squad, with national selector Andy Bichel amongst the spectators.

The result means the Thunder join Hobart as the only undefeated sides in the BBL, with the Gayle's heroics following David Warner's stunning century last week against the Melbourne Stars.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted December 23, 2011 22:32:10

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Strikers signal intent by thumping Renegades

Updated December 18, 2011 23:42:34

Adelaide Strikers used some old tricks in the new Big Bash League to crush Melbourne Renegades by 67 runs on Sunday.

The Strikers blasted 5 for 189 from their 20 overs before suffocating the disappointing Renegades, who limped to 122 all out in 17.5 overs at Adelaide Oval.

Strikers coach Darren Berry masterminded a Twenty20 title for South Australia last season and he adopted the same winning blueprint for the new Adelaide entity.

Berry's opening batsmen Daniel Harris (49 from 33 balls) and Michael Klinger (46 from 35 deliveries) bravely built a run-scoring platform, as they did last summer.

Then the Strikers relied on a miserly spin bowling trio - Aaron O'Brien (2 for 34), Johan Botha (2 for 17) and Nathan Lyon (1 for 26) - to turn the screws.

Their stingy spells forced Renegades batsmen to take risks against the likes of quick Kane Richardson, who cleaned up with 3 for 27.

Strikers captain Klinger said the comprehensive win over the Renegades was a "great way to start the tournament."

"Everything went pretty much according to plan, I couldn't be happier with the way the guys played," he said.

Only Glenn Maxwell (46 from 31 balls) and captain Andrew McDonald (35 from 31 deliveries) passed a dozen runs in a paltry reply to a Strikers' total underpinned by an opening stand by Harris and Klinger of 86 from 9.5 overs.

Harris slammed five fours and two sixes in his 33-ball knock, while his partner Klinger also thrived.

The Strikers' middle order cashed in on the opening salvo, notably Aiden Blizzard (30 from 18 balls) and Cameron Borgas.

Borgas produced a compelling cameo, smacking an unbeaten 28 from just nine balls - including 24 from a Shaun Tait over featuring an audacious ramp shot that sailed about 80 metres and over the fine leg boundary.

"It's a pretty gutsy move to do that to Shaun Tait, I think it will be the shot of the whole tournament," Klinger said.

Tait finished with unflattering figures of 1 for 41 from three overs and his pace partner Dirk Nannes (1 for 38 from three overs) was also expensive.

Only spinners Aaron Heal (2 for 32 from four overs) and Pakistani Shahid Afridi (0 for 27 from four overs) survived the Strikers' batting onslaught.

Renegades' top-scorer Maxwell said his side failed with ball and bat to exert the required pressure on the Strikers.

"We missed a few opportunities when we were bowling to put a bit of pressure on them," Maxwell said.

"And losing a few early wickets in our first six overs with the bat didn't help our cause."

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted December 18, 2011 21:19:41

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Cooper free to play for Strikers

Updated December 17, 2011 13:01:47

Emerging batsman Tom Cooper has been cleared to play in Adelaide Strikers' Big Bash League opener after a wrangle over his services.

The Strikers feared Cooper would miss Sunday's Twenty20 fixture against Melbourne Renegades to play for a Chairman's XI against touring side India starting Monday.

Cooper last week struck an unbeaten 182 against the Indians in a two-day encounter in Canberra.

The Strikers successfully pleaded with Cricket Australia to release the South Australian strokeplayer for the BBL opener at Adelaide Oval.

But ironically Strikers coach Darren Berry said the in-form Cooper was no certainly to play against the Renegades despite being named in a 14-man squad.

"Cooper is actually our back-up wicketkeeper as well so it was super-crucial that he was here in case anything happens," he said on Saturday.

"Obviously he comes into calculations as well for a spot in the side.

"But to be brutally honest, when you look at our 14 it's tight for spots.

"He is available and if selected, he'll play and fly back to Canberra on Monday morning and if we don't select him, he'll fly back tomorrow to Canberra."

Forecast rain in Adelaide on Sunday prompted Berry to name an extended squad with four spin bowlers and three pacemen.

Berry, who coached SA to the domestic T20 title last summer, favours relying on spin bowling in the short format.

"If it's going to be raining and the ball is slippery, that might change," he said.

"We will want to have a look at the wicket and that will determine the structure of our side.

"We wanted to have all bases covered and we knew there was a bad forecast."

The Strikers lost star import Kieron Pollard to a hamstring injury for the tournament, with Berry uncertain how long the West Indian would remain in Australia.

"He's disappointed but I'm happy to have him around on the cricket front as long as we can," the coach said.

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 17, 2011 13:00:41

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Strikers miss out on Tait, Christian

Updated July 8, 2011 07:55:00

The coach of Adelaide's new domestic Twenty20 team says attempts were made to recruit Shaun Tait before he signed with an interstate team.

Earlier this week, Tait announced he would play for the Melbourne Renegades in this summer's Big Bash League.

In the latest local signings, seven players have joined the Adelaide Strikers, all of them members of the Redbacks side that won last season's Big Bash.

The group includes batsmen Callum Ferguson and Michael Klinger and all-rounder Aaron O'Brien.

Strikers coach Darren Berry says the team tried to persuade Tait to stay in Adelaide for the competition.

He says the Strikers were also unable to recruit all-rounder Dan Christian.

"Was Shaun Tait and Dan Christian a priority on my list? Absolutely they were. Did we try and keep them here? Absolutely we did," he said.

"The commercial reality is there is no way we were going to keep the entire team together."

Berry says the salary cap and competition from other clubs were major hurdles.

"Shaun and his management decided that I suppose a bird in the hand, and he jumped at that opportunity and I have no ill-feeling towards Taity," he said.

"He's going to play a significant role for us in the Champions League."

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sa, adelaide-5000

First posted July 7, 2011 15:45:00

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Ferguson stays in Adelaide with Strikers

Posted July 7, 2011 15:11:00

Fringe Australian batsman Callum Ferguson has rejected lucrative interstate offers and will play with his home-town Adelaide Strikers in the revamped Twenty20 competition.

Ferguson on Thursday said he will play for the Adelaide franchise in the competition starting in December.

The 26-year-old strokeplayer received several offers from other franchises, but decided to stay in South Australia.

"This city has seen some great success in the T20 format recently so it would be great to see it continue," Ferguson - on tour with Australia A in Zimbabwe - said in a statement.

Ferguson is among a batch of cricketers, who were part of SA's T20 champion side last summer, to commit to the Strikers.

Batsman Dan Harris, Nathan Lyon, captain Michael Klinger, Aiden Blizzard, Aaron O'Brien, Kane Richardson, Tom Cooper and Cameron Borgas will also remain in Adelaide.

- AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, adelaide-5000

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