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That's it from a thrilling opener to the Big Bash League. This is Divyansh signing off on behalf of my partner, Navjeevan. Stay tuned at Sportskeeda. Goodbye.
Gurinder Sandhu (Player of the Match): It was a tricky wicket to bat on but I had an idea of what was coming towards the end from Webster so I stayed back and swung hard to hit that six. The ball was coming on slowly. I think our communication was good on the field. We were discussing as to what the pitch was doing continuously. It was a good win to start this season for our coaching staff as well as our fans.
Match Summary-
Sydney Thunders win by 1 wicket.
Sydney Thunder: 123/9 (20.0) Alex Ross 28 (27) | Jason Sangha 24 (25) Nathan Coulter-Nile 3/19 (4.0) | Beau Webster 2/19 (4.0)
A dramatic start to the season, and one of the greatest matches ever. It had everything, wickets right till the end, a retired hurt in the first innings which resulted in fewer runs. 1 required off the last ball with a wicket to go, and it went past the leg stump and the keeper missed it for a bye.
The Thunders win it in the end by the slightest of margins, and it is Sandhu that takes them over the line with his 20 in the end. Ross and Sangha got their starts but could not stay till the end. Green in the end and Hales at the beginning also pitched in with a few runs. They took the power surge really late, and a boundary in that helped them cross the line.
The bowlers and Brody Couch, the sub fielder tried their level best to defend it and almost did. Coulter-Nile with 3 wickets, and Boult, Webster and Zampa with 2 wickets each as Zampa became the 6th person to get to 100 wickets in BBL. Sandhu took the game away from them, as they needed just one wicket to cross the line in the end, but failed to get that last one. Couch took two sensational catches, and he did well in the field to compliment the bowlers.
20
overs
123/9score
W
W
1
6
0
1b
runs
Gurinder Sandhu*
20(16)
Brendan Doggett
1(1)
Beau Webster
2/19
19.6 Beau Webster to Gurinder Sandhu, DRAMATIC END! Short of a full-length delivery into the body. Sandhu creates room and tries to turn this away but misses.The ball kisses past the leg-stump through to Clarke with the gloves behind the stumps who is unable to gather the ball and the batters steal a bye. Thunder come out victorious in this season's opener on the final ball.
1 off 1. What a game. Who is gonna win it?
19.5 Beau Webster to Gurinder Sandhu, DOT BALL! Length ball just outside off. Sandhu awkwardly knocks this towards covers but finds Boult. Still, one needed off one.
Do we have a super over on our hands here?
Just a few inches over the line, and they need just 1 run now. This is the greatest start to a season ever.
19.4 Beau Webster to Gurinder Sandhu, WOW! SCORES ARE LEVEL OR ARE THEY? Length ball angling on top of the stumps. Sandhu rocks back and pulls this away towards deep mid-wicket. The ball hits the ropes on the full and that's a maximum, the scores are leveled indeed!
19.3 Beau Webster to Brendan Doggett, Full delivery angling in. Doggett knocks the ball towards mid-on for a run. Thunder needs 7 runs from 3 balls now!
Brendan Doggett, RHB, comes to the crease.
Webster has taken two in two, and he is on a hat-trick with just a wicket left for the Thunders. Doggett will face it.
19.2 Beau Webster to Fazalhaq Farooqi, THE POLES ARE ROCKED! Pitched up delivery on the stumps. Farooqi swings for the fences but misses and the ball clatters into his stumps.
Fazalhaq Farooqi b Beau Webster 0 (1b, 0x4, 0x6)
Fazalhaq Farooqi, RHB, comes to the crease.
Brody Couch has picked it out of thin air, he has taken two of the greatest catches in a single match. He is competing with himself for the best catch of the season, and it's just the first match.
19.1 Beau Webster to Chris Green, COUCH COMPLETES A SUPER POUCH! Full delivery outside off. Green comes down the track and launches this one down the ground towards long-off. Couch in the deep had to run back as he was a few extra meters inside the ropes. He extended his right arm out and pulled off a stunning one-hander.
Chris Green c (sub) Brody Couch b Beau Webster 17 (20b, 0x4, 0x6)
Beau Webster, (3.0-0-12-0) is back into the attack.
Not the best of options to bowl a slower short ball with mid-on inside, Sandhu hits it over him for an easy boundary and we go down to the wire. 8 required from 6 balls, and Webster to bowl it.