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Sam Konstas shines with Gilkes as Thunder etch BBL partnership record vs Brisbane Heat

Soumyajit Dutta

Sam Konstas made a record with Matthew Gilkes [Source: @FoxCricket/X]Sam Konstas made a record with Matthew Gilkes [Source: @FoxCricket/X]

After The Ashes snub, Sam Konstas did pack the heat in the BBL match against Brisbane Heat on December 22 as he forged a massive partnership with Matthew Gilkes for the Sydney Thunder.

Notably, this was a record to etch for the franchise in their BBL history as the opening duo smashed Heat bowlers to forge a partnership of 127 runs from just 80 balls.

Konstas-Gilkes duo etch highest opening partnerships for Sydney Thunder in BBL

The brisk hitting took Thunder to 127 runs inside 13.2 overs before Sam Konstas fell for 63 runs from 45 deliveries to Jack Wildermuth. He struck eight boundaries in the process while Matthew Gilkes played a whirlwind knock.

Matthew Gilkes struck 76 runs from 48 deliveries while slashing four boundaries and three sixes before he fell to Shaheen Afridi in the penultimate over. However, Gilkes’ contribution did the most for Sydney Thunder as the team piled up a total of 193 on the board for Brisbane Heat to chase.

Nevertheless, this record of Konstas and Gilkes ranks second in Sydney Thunder’s list of partnership pride, where Jacques Kallis and Michael Hussey lead with their 169-run stand back in 2014–15. 

Matthew Gilkes appears on the list twice, as he also had a solid partnership of 124 runs with Alex Hales against Heat back in the 2022 season too.

Highest opening partnerships for Sydney Thunder in BBL:

  • 160- Jack Kallis and Michael Hussey vs Heat (2014-15)
  • 127- Sam Konstas and Matthew Gilkes vs Heat (2025-26)* (Today)
  • 124*- Alex Hales and Matthew Gilkes vs Heat (2022-23)
  • 116- David Warner and Usman Khawaja vs Sixers (2013-14)
  • 103- Usman Khawaja and Alex Hales vs Hurricanes (2019-20)

From the Heat camp, Xavier Bartlett, the skipper, was the most expensive with the ball, leaking 52 runs from four overs while going wicketless. Jack Wildermuth bagged two wickets, while Shaheen Afridi picked up one but gave away a costly 35 runs from his four overs.