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Match Report: Spinners and McAndrew take Thunder past the Hurricanes at Perth

Sydney Thunder consolidated their position at the top of teh Big Bash League 2020 points table after they beat Hobart Hurricanes by a handsome margin of 39 runs at the Perth Stadium. With this win, the Thunder bounced back to winning ways, having been beaten by the Heat comprehensively in their last game. On the other hand, Hurricanes tasted their second defeat in a row, this one a bit sour than a fighting loss against the Stars at home. 

Callum Ferguson led side is now at the top of the table with six wins in eight games and 22 points in their kitty, one more than crosstown neighbors Sixers, who are at 21 points, having been romped by Scorchers in their last game. Hurricanes though got a boost point and pushed the tally of their points to 19 in nine games with five wins and four losses. 

Dawid Malan's dismissal the turning point 

Hurricanes were going nicely after the dismissals of the openers D’Arcy Short and Ben McDermott as Dawid Malan and skipper Handscomb threaded a 40 ball 48 runs partnership. However, just as they were looking to accelerate, Chris Green yorker got the better of Malan. The score was 91 and the Hurricanes’ downfall began from thereon. After the fall of that wicket, within a span of 25 runs, the Hobart side lost five crucial wickets and could never recover back to challenge the Thunder. 

Sangha, Green, and Nair spin a web 

Though it all started with the Malan wicket, even before he lost his wicket, Malan wasn’t looking like himself in the middle as he had struggled to 20 from 23 balls. This was because of the fact that he was not able to read either Green or Sangha. Soon after Malan’s dismissal, Sangha flighted Handscomb, the Hurricanes’ skipper back to the pavilion as he was stumped by Sam Billings after coming out of the crease on the first delivery of a fresh spell from the 19-year-old. 

Just a while afterward, a soft dismissal on a wayward delivery from Arjun Nair got out dangerman Tim David and the bandwagon followed as one after the other Colin Ingram, Macalister Wright, and Nick Winter were dismissed. Ingram, became Snagha’s 15th BBL 10 scalp taking him to the top of the 'most wickets' tally for this season. He got past Strikers’ main paceman Wes Agar, who has 14 scalps. 

McAndrew the breakthrough man

Into the chase, the Hurricanes had got off to a solid start by their openers McDermott and Short. They had added 36 for the first wicket in just four overs and were looking to loosen up. It was at that time that Nathan McAndrew threw in a short ball that hurried on to Short, getting him caught at short midwicket. Soon after, McAndrew also got McDermott out and hindered the flow of runs of the Hurricanes, resulting in building pressure over the new batters like Malan and Handscomb. 

It was these two wickets by McAndrew at the right moment which got him the Man of the Match Award. He finished with figures of 2/25 from his four overs. 

Ross and Cutting: The pair that got Thunder back into the attack

Earlier in the day, Hurricanes after winning the toss, put Thunder to bat first and did well to get wickets at quick intervals, especially after a brisk start by Hales and Khawaja. From 59 for none to 110/5, the Hurricanes brought themselves back into the game courtesy of their spinners Sandeep Lammichhane and Short, who in the period of 7-15 overs went for just 49 runs and got four wickets. 

But after their spell was done, comeback man Alex Ross along with all-rounder and big hitter Ben Cutting got into the act, scoring 56 of the last five overs and taking the score to a competitive 167, which eventually turned out to be a winning score. Ross made 44 off 33 while Cutting smoked 31 off just 14 balls, which included four boundaries and a six. 

What's Next?

In the next game at Perth itself, the Thunder would be up against a 'rejuvenated and on a winning trail' Perth Scorchers on Saturday, 09th January. Hurricanes on the other hand have a long four-day rest, which is actually needed after back-to-back losses. They would come back to play Scorchers at the Docklands in Melbourne on the 12th of January.  

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Inside out | How long can India invest in Rishabh Pant, the wicketkeeper?

One criticism the team management under the leadership of Virat Kohli always faces is that they don’t give enough chances to players to establish themselves on the international stage and feel they belong to the big stage. Another level of criticism he faces is that people get unequal opportunities in the team setup. For Rishabh Pant, the first one does not quite hold true, but the latter one works well in his favour. He has been backed timelessly by the team management, and while he is yet to seize the opportunity in the short forms of the game he was deemed brilliant, his Test numbers have been pretty impressive. But, his role in the team is not limited to flamboyant batting, whereas he has a more important job of catching the edges of the bat after bowlers excel in their skills. The fact that the team management preferred Wriddhiman Saha over him in the first Test when Virat Kohli was present to steer the team’s batting but brought the left hander back into the team after Kohli’s departure says a lot about how the team management rates Pant’s credentials behind the stumps and also his batting abilities where batting has not been easier. The team management has been on the horses for courses policy since ages, and it is showing up when they swap Saha and Pant as per the conditions and the desired team combination. But, Pant can’t have an excuse of not finding his feet as he has been around for more than two years, and apart from the Adelaide Test against Australia, Pant has been the preferred gloveman on overseas tours emphasizing the team management’s greed of runs from Pant’s bat. But, has that greed of extra runs started to bite the team management in the face? If the pieces of evidence in the last two Tests are good enough sample size to assess Pant’s wicket-keeping qualities, it would not be unfair to say that the team has been let down by Pant on numerous occasions. On the first day of the third Test at the SCG, Pant dropped as many as two chances off Will Pucovski—one against Ashwin, and another against Siraj. Both those catches should have been taken without any fuss, but Pant made a meal of it. Luckily for India, Pucovski did not last very long and went back to the pavilion after hitting a half-century, but those dropped catches altered the flow of the game. Had Pant taken those catches, Steve Smith would have come to bat way earlier than the time he actually came out to bat, and the situation could have been different. But, Smith came out to bat only in the 35th over of the game and by that time whatever chance the bowlers had of extracting any sort of assistance out of a fairly flat deck at the SCG went begging. In the last game at the MCG as well, Pant had dropped Pat Cummins’s outside edge off Ashwin but thankfully for India, the bowlers had already got the better of the top order by then, and Cummins could not make the most of it although he denied India the chance of wrapping up a win by a margin of innings. Pant’s looseness behind the stumps could well have exposed the Indian bowlers, but they have been incisive to create more frequent chances and Indian have not had to live with the consequences of the greed of too many runs. Pant’s wicket keeping, especially standing up to the stumps against spinners have left a lot to be desired, and it’s highly likely the team management would go for Saha once England come to India for a four-match Test series in February highlighting the binary their choices have created in terms of the number one wicketkeeper in the team over the years rather than backing either Saha to do the job of wicketkeeping while adding some runs with the bat, or heating up the stake for Pant to improve his wicket-keeping game. On the other hand, Pant has been going berserk with the bat, and in the second Test at the MCG, changed the momentum of the game in India’s favour. His presence was not too long, but the sheer audacity of taking on against a rampaging Cummins put Australia on the back foot and allowed breathing space for the likes of Rahane who was going well in his defiant innings. He has been going great with the bat and hence the temptation to play is also greater for the team management. In defence of Pant, it can be said that he should get a longer and consistent rope o either establish his wicket-keeping skills over time and that he can be entrusted upon to improve his game with every match he plays and hence needing more investment from the team management, like the way they put their weight behind any batsman or bowler that they can improve to a better version of themselves. But, will Virat Kohli show patience on him, and what is the ultimate price the team management is willing to pay for trying out Pant on a full-fledged level without shutting the door for him in the name of horses for courses? We’ll see when England will visit India next month.

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BBL 10 Match Preview: Distraught Renegades seek relief against impressive Strikers

After losing to the Adelaide Strikers for by a big margin of 60 runs on Tuesday, the severely out-of-form Melbourne Renegades will taken on them again to avoid their eighth consecutive defeat in the ongoing season of the Big Bash League (BBL). Such poor form is very rare and Renegades would need all the luck to get out of it. Their opponents, unfortunately for them, happen to be a very competitive side as well. Currently, at the fourth position in the standings, the Adelaide side has enough motivation to get a win. Playing at home makes the Strikers even more dangerous, especially with pitches a little more conducive to spin. Renegades in Distress Two teams were really struggling about a week ago in the BBL’s present season – Renegades and Perth Scorchers. The latter have now notched up three wins on a trot but the difficulties for the former team continues unabated. A first-ball duck for captain Aaron Finch was a good symbol of the problems being faced by the team. Finch is the best batsman in the team but he hasn’t been able to lift his team. His usual opening partner Shaun Marsh missed the last match and his availability for the next game is not certain. The promotion of Sam Harper hasn’t worked yet but there is hardly any better option. Mackenzie Harvey batted as an opener on Tuesday and did show some promise. This is a promising sign and every such positive is important for a beleaguered team. Mohammad Nabi and Imad Wasim, the two foreigners in the middle order, haven’t brought any change of fortunes. Their bowling has been more reliable than their batting. But there isn’t great depth of talent, at least proven one, in the ranks. So, the Renegades have to hope for a turnaround in form from the existing players. The bowling looks more promising. Imad bowled well with the new ball in the last match. His bowling style – tight line and length – is suited to this format. Mohammad Nabi is also a very useful option but it’s his younger compatriot Noor Ahmed who has got everyone excited. Highly talented but slightly uncooked, he could be the man to make a difference. A lot would also depend on Kane Richardson who has been average so far. Spin was the preferred option for Adelaide, based on the composition of the side, still, without the support of pacers, the slower bowlers will be easy to handle. Strikers in Good Stead The bowling department of Strikers, on the other hand, is looking impressive. Rashid Khan was always going to be a star but the emergence of Danny Briggs as an equally reliable bowler has compounded the problems for opposition batsmen. The leadership of Peter Siddle has been working beautifully in this season for the Strikers. First, as the captain and now as the seniormost bowler in the side, he has led his troops brilliantly, adding deadly Yorkers to his arsenal alongside his other tricks. The support given to him by Wes Agar is invaluable. The space for a third seamer is still contested. Harry Conway did well in the last game and is likely to retain his spot. On the batting front, the promotion of Matt Renshaw to the opening slot worked a bit. His 35 off 28 showed signs of him getting into the rhythm. The nature of BBL this season has been such that big scores are rare. So, even a 30-odd at the start is a valuable contribution. That’s what Renshaw managed on Tuesday. His partner Phil Salt is a dangerous player and has been in good form. However, his opening partner for most of the season, Jake Weatherald, benefitted greatly from a change in his position. From opening the innings, Jake went down to the no. 6 position and scored a half-century. The middle order of the team has also assumed a very impressive look. With Alex Carey, Jonathan Wells, and Ryan Gibson, all in good form, and Rashid at no. 7 showing mettle with the bat also, this batting order is among the best in the league presently. Renegades vs Strikers: Match Details Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Date and Time: December 8, 12:40 PM IST, 5:40 PM Local, 7:10 AM GMT Broadcasters: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV Pitch Report The Adelaide Oval has produced good pitches in the two matches it has hosted so far. The sign of a good pitch is that everyone has something to play with. That’s been the case here. Spinners, pacers, and batsmen have all got an opportunity. However, the spinners may play a bigger role with the passage of time since the pitch will have wear and tear. Weather and Bat Flip A nice warm day awaits the two teams on Friday. The temperature in the evening would be around 21 degrees, not uncomfortable for the players. With no cloud cover or rain expected, batting first would be the default option, though chasing wouldn’t be any tougher. Probable XIs Renegades: Aaron Finch (C), Shaun Marsh, Mackenzie Harvey, Sam Harper (Wk), Mohammad Nabi, Beau Webster, Imad Wasim, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Josh Lalor, Noor Ahmad Strikers: Matt Renshaw, Phil Salt, Alex Carey (C &Wk), Jonathan Wells, Ryan Gibson, Jake Weatherald, Rashid Khan, Danny Briggs, Wes Agar, Peter Siddle, Harry Conway