Rutherford has done it here at the Perth Stadium! Full and overpitched on the leg stump, moves away early to make room and clears the front foot, waits for the delivery and swings his bat at it with full force, thick inside edge off the bat and finds the gap between short fine leg and deep backward square!
Scorchers vs Thunder, 22nd Match at Perth, BBL, Jan 03 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Thunder won by 4 wickets (with 0 balls remaining)
That concludes our BBL activity for today. We appreciate your participation. I look forward to seeing you all again tomorrow. On behalf of Rashad, Thilak, and the entire ESPNcricinfo staff, I'm going to sign out till then.
Player of the Match Sherfane Rutherford: "First of all, I want to thank God for this opportunity. Playing in Australia is always a privilege. And yeah, it was a bit nervy for me to be honest. Even though I've been in this situation a few times. The way my tournament started wasn't the best, so I think it was just important for me to get it across the line tonight. (Record Scorchers crowd) Oh well, I think that was our plan as a team, you know, to just silence the crowd. We know they were against us. So it's always good to silence them and I think we did that well tonight. (Winning consecutive three games) Oh yeah, it's a great feeling! David Warner has brought a lot of vibe and energy to our team and I think this year the team is gelling well, everyone is having a good vibe. And I think in teams that have good vibe, the performance will always show on the field."
Losing two of their key players while fielding is a little unfortunate for the Sydney Thunder. They had concussion subs. Missed run-outs and half chances. Everything took place throughout this match! Nikitaras, the Thunder's opener, was out in the second over of the innings. Gilkes and Warner then gradually rebuilt the innings. The Thunders' run rate was raised by a couple of tight overs in the middle from Tye and Kelly. Hurst did some fine glove work from behind the stumps as Connolly removed Gilkes. Warner scored 49 runs in an amazing inning before being caught at deep square leg. At mid-off, Turner dropped a sitter. Behrendorff grabbed a blinder two balls later and celebrated by waving his two hands in the air like a bird in the direction of the crowded Perth gallery. We had a tight finish right up to the last second. It all came down to Sherfane Rutherford, who struggled with the bat throughout the tournament but gave his side the victory today! With a little bit of luck, Rutherford also made good advantage of Tye's constant full length bowling in the last over! Well, every little detail counts in these kinds of close games. Given that they were unable to capitalise on the death overs in the first innings, perhaps the Scorchers might have scored a few more runs. Or perhaps the outcome would have been different if those sitters, close runs, or half-chances had been taken. There are many ifs and buts, but in the end, it doesn't matter since Thunder won in front of a standing-room-full record crowd at Perth Stadium. The Sydney Thunder camp has yet to provide us with any updates about the two players, Bancroft and Sams. Let's wish them well and hope they get better soon.
Sydney Thunder won the match by 4 wickets
Right. 3 runs off the last ball, 2 runs for the super over
Full on the pads clipped the thigh pads and through Hurst behind the stumps, sets off for a couple again
5 runs off 2 balls
Full and overpitched outside the off stump, drills it aerially just over the mid-off fielder, couple of bounces and over the ropes!
Wide yorker outside off and Rutherford decides to leave the ball!
Full-toss on the stumps, swings his bat at it and finds the outside edge through the diving short third man fielder for a boundary!
Full on the pads, clipped aerially wide of short fine leg, dives full stretched to his right side and failed to hold on to it, dropped and picks up a couple
15 runs off 6 balls, it's Tye against Rutherford
That's a massive hit! Full in the slot on the pads, hangs back and smashes it straight over the long on fences for a huge six!
Short pitched ball left alone to the keeper, fair delivery
Too short and wide outside off, reaches for it and slices high over wide of third man, fielder comes around and sends it back at the striker's end
Low full-toss darted on the leg stump, tickles off the inside edge of the bat onto the pads and goes off for a single
Karthik: "Captain Turner has had a shocker of a day - a duck, an expensive over while bowling and drops a sitter! Will Perth do an India and 'rest' him given his form so far?" Missed an easy run out too
Good length ball angling away on the off stump, dabs it on the pitch and sets off for a quick single
Flatter on the pads clipped away towards square leg region
Short pitched ball wide outside off, slices it over backward point, failed to connect
Good length ball hits it straight back to the bowler, Morris tries to throw it back at the stumps, makes a fumble and Weibgen tries to get a quick single, Rutherford refused and sends him back to the crease
Short of a length ball swings it away over mid-on, Behrendorff covers his ground as he sprints back from mid-on, stretches out his long hands, and clings to it. This is some very amazing stuff!
Back of a length ball turns it around to the on-side
Mid-off drops a sitter! Short of a length ball on the stumps, swings his bat at it, clips it straight to Ashton Turner and he grassed it!
Hard line and length ball darted on middle-leg, wild swing and a miss as Green moves away from the wicket
28 runs off 18 balls, here's Morris now
Slower bouncer pulled away with the inside part of the bat for a single towards deep square leg
Slammed over mid-off! Slower delivery on around the off stump, stands tall and flat-bats it straight over mid-off, couple of bounces and over the ropes
Over 20 • ST 179/6
Thunder won by 4 wickets (with 0 balls remaining)