BBL 2024-25 Thunder vs Stars Highlights: Nathan McAndrew, Oliver Davies Shine As Thunder Knock Out Stars
Sydney Thunder knocked out Melbourne Stars by 21 runs [Source: @ThunderBBL/x.com]
Sydney Thunder trounced Melbourne Stars by 21 runs in the Knockout of Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 on Wednesday at the Sydney Showground Stadium. With the win, the Thunder have set up a derby against their city rivals Sydney Sixers in the Challengers that will be played on Friday, January 24 at the SCG.
Here’s the timeline of how STA vs THU panned out in Sydney
STA vs THU Highlights: Warner Falls For A Duck
Sydney Thunder’s skipper, David Warner, walked out with a new opening partner, Hugh Weibgen. But it was heartbreak for the Thunder faithful as Warner’s innings lasted just two balls, dismissed for a duck in the opening over.
Hugh Weibgen and Matthew Gilkes tried to steady the ship in the powerplay. Gilkes, in particular, played with intent, smashing 28 off 18 balls. But just as the Thunder seemed to find some momentum, nature intervened. Lightning in the vicinity forced the umpires to halt play, sending the players back to the dugout.
When play resumed, the game was shortened to 19 overs. However, the Thunder’s troubles continued. Weibgen struggled to find his timing and was dismissed for 11. Gilkes couldn’t convert his start into a big one, falling after an aggressive knock.
STA vs THU Highlights: Davies & Co. Struggle On A Slow Track
With the surface proving tricky, the Thunder’s middle order found it hard to accelerate. Sam Billings chipped in with 24 off 25 but couldn’t dominate the Stars’ disciplined bowling attack.
The Power Surge, which often serves as a launching pad for batters, yielded just 14 runs for the Thunder, further slowing their charge.
Oliver Davies was the lone warrior, anchoring the innings with a gritty 36 off 35 balls. But even he found it tough to get going on the sluggish wicket. The Stars’ bowlers were on the money. Tom Curran and Usama Mir led the charge with two wickets each, choking the Thunder’s scoring opportunities.
Despite their best efforts, the Thunder could only manage 135/7 in their 19 overs, leaving themselves plenty of work to do with the ball.
STA vs THU Highlights: Stars’ Top Order Crumbles
Chasing 136, the Stars had a horror start, with Nathan McAndrew sending Sam Harper packing for 6 in the very first over.
Thomas Rogers followed soon after, and by the fifth over, the Stars were reeling at 27/3. Peter Handscomb managed a scratchy 11 before being trapped lbw by Andrews.
Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell tried to rebuild, but Stoinis’s 15 off 24 was far from his explosive best. Maxwell, the Stars’ biggest hope, played a brisk 28 off 21 but couldn’t carry on, falling to Tanveer Sangha in the 11th over. At 65/4, the Stars were in deep trouble.
STA vs THU Highlights: McAndrew’s Magical Spell Sinks Stars
Nathan McAndrew was the star of the show, bowling with precision and pace to destroy the Stars’ lower order. Hilton Cartwright tried to fight back with a quick 15, but McAndrew returned to dismiss him and then cleaned up Mark Steketee and Doug Warren to seal the deal. His remarkable 5/16 in four overs was a performance for the ages.
The Stars folded for 114 in 18 overs, handing the Thunder a 21-run win via the DLS method. Chris Green (1/16) and Tom Andrews (2/20) provided excellent support to McAndrew, ensuring the Stars never got a sniff.