Alex Carey was named Man of the Match for his magnificent knock of 83 not out
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Alex Carey smashed an unbeaten 83 as the Adelaide Strikers narrowly beat the Sydney Sixers by six runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Being put in to bat first, the Strikers got off to a horrible start as opener Jake Weatherald was dismissed by Ben Dwarshuis for a duck on the sixth ball of the match.
However, Carey and captain Travis Head made up for the loss of Weatherald with a 54-run partnership before Head was stumped by Sam Billings off the bowling of stand-in captain Johan Botha for 29.
Colin Ingram only managed to make 15 runs before he became Dwarshuis’ second victim.
However, Carey and Jonathan Wells helped the Strikers end their innings on a high as they amassed an unbeaten 74-run partnership. Thanks to their combined effort, the Strikers finished on 167/3.
Carey ended up making 83 off 59 balls, which included eight boundaries and two sixes, while Wells remained undefeated on 33 off 19 deliveries, which included three boundaries and a six.
Dwarshuis was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Botha chipped in with one.
Chasing 168 to win, the Sixers struggled early on as Daniel Hughes, Nic Maddinson, Jason Roy and Billings were dismissed in fairly quick succession.
Alex Carey finished 83no with the bat and now he's having an impact behind the stumps with this blinder! https://t.co/bgR0ggZ8rz #BBL0 pic.twitter.com/9zXm67AsK2
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 28, 2017
However, Jordan Silk and Botha stemmed the flow of wickets with a 46-run stand, during which Silk brought up his fifty.
Jordan Silk (left) raises his bat after bringing up his fifty
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
But, he was unable to push on from there as he was cleaned up by Rashid Khan for 50 off 32 balls, which included seven boundaries.
Botha went on to make 25 and even though Sean Abbott fell shortly after, Steve O’Keefe and Dwarshuis kept the Sixers in the game.
However, with the Sixers needing 16 runs to win off the final over, it proved to be too big of a task for the duo and their side ended up falling short of their target. O’keefe finished on 28, while Dwarshuis scored 21.
Rashid, Ben Laughlin, Billy Stanlake and Michael Neser claimed two wickets apiece.
Carey was named Man of the Match.