Ball by Ball Commentary & Live Score

Over20

15 runs

ST 150/5CRR: 7.50

Arjun Nair 12 (6b 2x4)Aiden Blizzard 11 (7b 2x4)

Sean Abbott0/39 (4)

11.12pm Phew what a way to kick off the BBL season! Thunder secure the derby in a last-ball finish. Their captain Shane Watson led the chase of 150 with a velvet-smooth 77 off 46 balls. Kurtis Patterson and Gibson, however, struggled to time the ball. Ultimately, the equation was down to 26 off 18 balls. Sams, on T20 debut, removed Gibson and Watson off successive balls, to end with the best figures on BBL debut, but Nair and Blizzard hung on to seal the deal. Thanks for your company and comments. Hope you enjoyed the coverage as much as we did bringing it to you. This is Deivarayan Muthu and P Ranjith signing off. Goodbye and good night.

Blizzard: Arjun has some serious skill and I am really happy he got one up. We could not have asked for a better start and we will take a derby victory.

Arjun: How good he is he[Watson]? He's terrific.

Kapil: "Very ordinary batting from Gibson. In T20s, post 10 overs, you cannot afford to bat at 50% strike rate. Watson's big hits saved the day for Thunder but talents like Buttler and Blizzard should surely bat higher than a Gibson"

Gagan: "Muthu has published my comment, now I can work in peace. Great start to BBL." --- Cheers, thanks for reading

Sams is the Man of the Match on T20 debut

Sunny: "Buttler is up?or Nevill...sure you excited for the nail biting finish!" --- Ah, yes it was Nevill indeed

19.6

Abbott to Nair, 1 run

back of a length and outside off, Nair reaches out for the ball with fast hands and carves it to cover point. Nair and Blizzard hare across for a single to seal Thunder's win. Botha at cover-point did not attack the ball and simply hung back. He could not effect a direct hit either. The throw is to Abbott, and Nair dishes out a full-length dive to wrap it up. Replays suggest the ball bobbled out of Abbott's hands. Gee, what a finish

It boils down to one needed off one ball. Henriques has a long chat with the bowler. Nair on strike. Nevill is up to the stumps to prevent a bye. Fine leg, third man back

19.5

Abbott to Blizzard, 1 run

full-toss on the leg stump, clipped away to deep square leg

19.4

Abbott to Blizzard, FOUR runs

Blizzard squirts a boundary to the right of Bollinger. Lazy work from the big man at 45. He was too lazy to dive. Very full on leg stump nudged away

19.3

Abbott to Nair, 1 run

really full on the leg stump, whipped away to wide long-on

19.2

Abbott to Nair, FOUR runs

banged in short and outside off, Nair has a crack at a pull and top-edges it, but gets the desired result. Edged past the keeper for another boundary

19.1

Abbott to Nair, FOUR runs

wide full-toss, Nair stays leg-side of the ball and carves it away past the right of deep third man for four. Perfect start to the over for Thunder

Thunder need 16 off the last over. Abbott will bowl it. Over the wicket

Over19

8 runs

ST 135/5CRR: 7.10 RRR: 15.00

Arjun Nair 2 (2b)Aiden Blizzard 6 (5b 1x4)

Doug Bollinger0/35 (4)

18.6

Bollinger to Nair, 1 run

down the track and carved to extra cover

Sams' 4 for 14 are the best figures on BBL debut

18.5

Bollinger to Blizzard, 1 run

middle-stump yorker, toe-ended down to long-on

18.4

•

Bollinger to Blizzard, no run

back of a length and bouncing over the stumps as the batsman has a big yahoo at it and misses

18.3

Bollinger to Nair, 1 run

full and attacking the stumps, pushed down the ground to long-on

18.2

Bollinger to Blizzard, 1 run

just short of a good length and outside off, short-armed over midwicket

18.1

Bollinger to Blizzard, FOUR runs

full-toss on off stump, clubbed across the line to the midwicket boundary

Over18

3 runs, 2 wickets

ST 127/5CRR: 7.05 RRR: 11.50

Aiden Blizzard 0 (1b)Arjun Nair 0 (0b)

Daniel Sams4/14 (4)

17.6

1lb

Sams to Blizzard, 1 leg bye

a big shout for lbw, but this is perhaps heading down the leg side. Pretty full and nipping in, the batsman plays around the front pad and misses. Sams finishes with 4 for 14 on T20 debut

Blizzard is here to face the hat-trick ball

17.5

Sams to Watson, OUT

What a debut this is turning out to be for Sams! Two in two this over, including the big scalp of Watson. Back of a length and angling across off, Watson punches crisply but picks out Henriques at cover

Shane Watson c Henriques b Sams 77 (46b 6x4 6x6) SR: 167.39

Nair. No signs of Blizzard

17.4

Sams to Gibson, OUT

O'Keefe runs in from long leg, dives forward, and holds onto this top edge. Rushing short ball on middle, Gibson's scratchy innings ends. He hooks but only skies it to O'Keefe

Ryan Gibson c O'Keefe b Sams 8 (17b 0x4 0x6) SR: 47.05

17.3

Sams to Watson, 1 run

back of a length offcutter, slid down to third man

Gagan: "With IPL auction round the corner, BBL is a great platform for players to show themselves. Watto knows this best."

17.2

•

Sams to Watson, no run

wide yorker, angling away outside off, Watson can't touch it

Over the stumps

17.1

Sams to Gibson, 1 run

slower full ball outside off, 115ks, opens the face and slices through point

Thunder fans rallying behind their captain Watson. They need 26 off the last three

Over17

16 runs

ST 124/3CRR: 7.29 RRR: 8.66

Shane Watson 76 (43b 6x4 6x6)Ryan Gibson 7 (15b)

Sean Abbott0/24 (3)

Aashish Calla: "I think the ST have got their batting order wrong - Blizzard is a T20 opener and should have walked in with Watto; also to give a left-right combo at the top - And Buttler should have been at 4 or 5 to finish the chase." --- Yeah, fair point, but Watson is in such a mood that he can do this on his own for Thunder

16.6

•

Abbott to Watson, no run

full-toss, angling into hit the pad, but this is clearly heading past leg stump

16.5

Abbott to Watson, FOUR runs

slower legcutter outside off, but the length is short. Watson leans back and carves it over backward point

Sixers vs Thunder, 1st Match at Sydney, Dec 19 2017 - Ball by Ball Commentary