The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That will be all from your host Abhishek alongside my co-commentator Pradeep out there on behalf of Sportskeeda. But don't go anywhere as the LPL match between Dambulla Giants and Kandy Warriors is going on. Later in the day, we will be having another LPL match to engage our readers. Till then, goodbye and take care!
Alex Ross (Player of the Match): In the offseason, I am doing less than normal. I am just playing club cricket. It is nice to get up the order. The more I get to bat, the better. 141 was never enough for this wicket. So credit to the bowlers as well. We have a similar team from the last three seasons, so there is no ego. All are on the same page and we want to get as many wins as possible.
Sydney Thunder win the match by 7 wickets
In a pitch with very little turn on offer and the dew favoring the team batting second, 141 runs looked more like a formality for Sydney Thunder to win this game. But, Brisbane Heat gave them a scare as Alex Hales got dismissed for a silver duck in the first over of the second innings.
Liam Guthrie departed Sam Whiteman and Matthew Gilkes in the same over as the scoreboard read 32-3 after 3.3 overs. Out came the duo of Sam Billings and Alex Ross and they batted till the end to see out Thunder a victory.
Alex Ross was aggressive against the spin, pulling the sweep shot in every second ball. Against the pacers, he targeted the off side in his 61-run knock from 46 balls that saw 7 4's and 2 6's from his bat.
Sam Billings played the role of second-in-command and posted 45 runs on the board from only 36 balls. Their partnership helped Sydney Thunder kick off their BBL 2021 campaign with a win as they gear up to face Melbourne Stars on Friday.
The outstretched hands of the umpire signals the victory for Sydney Thunder. They take 4 points in the bag. 3 points for the win and one for the Bash Boost.
18.0
17.2 Xavier Bartlett to Alex Ross, WIDE! That's it, it's all over, Sydney Thunder romped to the victory with 17 balls left. Short delivery, dug into the track, goes way over the batters head and Umpire signals that a wide as Thunder pick up the first win!
17.1 Xavier Bartlett to Alex Ross, back of a length into Ross on the middle and off, got big on the batter as he goes on the backfoot and then tucks it straight to square-leg for no run.
Xavier Bartlett to bowl the next over.
A reverse sweep to end the over as the scores are level! Looks like Alex Ross will hit the winning runs for Sydney Thunder.
17
overs
140/3score
4
0
0
0
0
4
runs
Alex Ross
61(45)
Sam Billings*
45(36)
Mujeeb Ur Rahman
0/25
16.6 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, FOUR! Short on the off-stump as Billings comes up with a reverse sweep and nails that one through the square-leg to pick up the boundary! SCORES ARE LEVEL!
16.5 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, OH DEAR! That was close, Billings comes down the track for the good length to clip it but gets the inside edge and goes near the keeper who was sharp to get to it and has a shy at the stumps and misses as Billings gets back.
16.4 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, drags it short on the middle and off, Billings makes room to go on the backfoot and punches it but straight to short extra-cover.
16.3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, OH! Drops it short and turns into Billings on the leg-stump as he goes on on the backfoot to pull but misses.
16.2 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, low full toss into Billings on the middle and leg as he skips down the track and whips it straight to mid-on for no run.
5 needed from 23!
16.1 Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sam Billings, FOUR! Length delivery on the off-stump, Billings skips down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and hammers it over mid-on for a boundary.
The Power Surge has been taken! Mujeeb Ur Rahman to bowl it.
The 100 partnership is up as Sydney Thunder require 9 runs to win from 4 overs. It took them 77 balls to reach that figure.