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Strikers Beat Scorchers In Thrilling Finish

Strikers Beat Scorchers In Thrilling Finish

Adam Zampa hit a huge six in the final over as Adelaide Strikers snuck over the line to a one-wicket win over Perth Scorchers with one ball to spare.

With two wickets remaining, the Strikers needed eight runs from the final over but with death-bowling specialist Yasir Arafat on to bowl, the Scorchers were slight favourites to win.

Zampa (10no) ran out his partner, Kane Richardson (12) – who had just hit a huge six over long-on a couple of overs prior – attempting to scamper through for a single off the second ball of the over.

But he made up for it with a massive six of his own over mid-wicket to tie the scores with two balls remaining, and then struck the winning run to put the Strikers top of the table.

Jason Behrendorff had earlier taken 4-22 for the Scorchers to rip through the Strikers' top order.

He accounted for Craig Simmons (12) – on his return to Perth – and the Strikers’ match-winner from Thursday, Tim Ludeman (17), in his first spell.

Then with the visitors looking well placed at 92-3 after 12 overs chasing down the Scorchers’ modest 146-7, Behrendoff bowled danger-man Kieron Pollard (15) and captain Johan Botha (4) in the same over.

Brad Hodge’s 42 off 36 balls took the Strikers close but wickets fell around him and when he finally went – to an outstanding catch in the deep by Ashton Turner – they still needed 21 runs from 13 balls.

But Richardson's six the very next ball was the kick-start to the late Strikers surge.

Hampshire’s Michael Carberry had struggled on his Big Bash debut for 27 runs off 35 balls in the Scorchers innings.

He looked nervous at times, and perhaps it was sweaty palms which resulted in his bat flying through the air midway through the fifth over, rather than the ball.

He advanced down the track, attempting a big heave to the legside off Richardson and such was the intent behind the shot that when he didn’t make a connection, his bat went flying into the outfield.

It was symptomatic of the Scorchers’ struggles for timing on their home surface, conditions you’d imagine they’d have been used to.

Michael Klinger – making his first appearance since joining from the Strikers – looked most comfortable, top-scoring with 49 from 33 deliveries.