Paris, Turner lift Perth Scorchers to second spot

Veteran fast bowler Joel Paris has inspired a late fightback as Perth Scorchers overcame an all-out spin assault to post a fighting 33-run win over the Adelaide Strikers at Optus Stadium.

Tabraiz Shamsi unleashed his trademark shoe celebration and Lloyd Pope starred as Strikers spun a web of magic in Perth to restrict the Scorchers to 153 for 8. In reply, Strikers were on track for victory at 48 for 1 and 86 for 4 before Paris sparked a big collapse.

Paris, who'd earlier also smacked a couple of sixes in a crucial 20 not out at the end of Scorchers' innings, snared Harry Manenti in the 13th over, but his biggest impact came in the 16th - the first over of the power surge.

With Strikers needing 49 off 30 balls, Paris first had Jerrssis Wadia caught at mid-off before Luke Wood skied a catch to point two balls later. It meant Paris snared 2 for 6 in the first over of the surge, with Strikers failing to recover as they were bowled out for 120 in 18.1 overs. Scorechers' third win on the trot took them to second spot on the points table.

Scorchers were dealt a double injury blow after imports Finn Allen (finger) and Laurie Evans (hamstring) were ruled out. Strikers handed a BBL debut to Shamsi, and his impact was profound. The wristspinner dismissed both Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly within the space of four balls in the tenth over to kick-start Scorchers' downfall.

After Marsh holed out to long-on, Shamsi took off his shoe and held it up like a telephone while pointing to a box in the crowd. Australian T20 star Tim David, who was on commentary duties in Perth after suffering a season-ending hamstring injury, took off his own shoe to answer Shamsi's "call". The two were the team-mates at St Lucia Kings last year in the Caribbean Premier League.

Pope snared the scalp of Sam Fanning to reduce the Scorchers to 74 for 3 in the 11th over. And Scorchers were in a world of pain when Pope sent Joel Curtis and Aaron Hardie packing in the 13th over as Perth slumped to 87 for 5.

There was hope for the Scorchers in the 15th over when Ashton Turner struck Shamsi for 4, 4, 6 and 4 to start the power surge in the 15th over. But when Shamsi got his revenge by having Turner sky a catch to midwicket and then Pope removed Nick Hobson, Scorchers could only limp to a sub-standard total.

Strikers used spin from the fifth over until the last - and the tactic worked a treat. Strikers had also employed a spin-heavy attack two years ago when they upset Scorchers in a knockout final.

In the chase, Cooper Connolly snared the key scalp of Chris Lynn in the first over, before the Strikers settled to move to 48 for 1. Scorchers breathed life into the match when Turner removed Matt Short and Jason Sangha in the space of three balls, before Mackenzie Harvey chopped Ashton Agar on as the Strikers lost 3 for none.

Strikers steadied the ship after that triple blow, but they couldn't recover from the late onslaught from Paris.