Shane Watson walloped four boundaries and five sixes during his knock of 68

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Sydney Thunder captain Shane Watson led by example as he hammered a 40-ball 68 to lead his side to a 71-run over the Adelaide Strikers.

Opting to bat first, the Thunder got off to a quick start before opener Anton Devcich was trapped lbw off the bowling of Rashid Khan for 21.

Callum Ferguson fell the very next ball as he was caught by Liam O’Connor at midwicket for a golden duck.

Watson and Jason Sangha came to the rescue as they amassed a 77-run partnership, during which Watson surpassed his half-century, before Sangha was removed by Billy Stanlake for 30.

Daniel Sams was on his way back to the pavilion three balls later, while Watson went on to score 68, which came off 40 balls and included four boundaries and five sixes, before he was dismissed by Michael Neser.

Shane Watson was the #BBL08 @Dream11 MVP of the Day thanks to his 68 runs, including these five sixes!

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Arjun Nair only made eight runs, but wicketkeeper Jay Lenton’s unbeaten 27 helped the Strikers finish on 168/6.

Rashid and Stanlake picked up two wickets apiece, while Neser and Ben Laughlin chipped in with one wicket each.

Chasing 169 to win, the Strikers were dealt a big blow on the sixth ball of the innings as opener Jake Weatherald was caught by Gurinder Sandhu at backward point off the bowling of Devcich for four runs.

Matthew Short, who opened the batting with Weatherald, was trapped lbw off the bowling of Sandhu for six runs.

Captain Travis Head was the next to go as he was caught behind off the bowling of Chris Jordan for 10 runs.

Colin Ingram and Jonathan Wells steadied things with a 49-run partnership before Wells was stumped by Lenton off the bowling of Chris Green for 11.

Ingram went on to score a 30-ball 48, which included four boundaries and two sixes, before he was dismissed by Nair.

The Strikers collapsed once Ingram was gone as they went from 81/5 to being skittled out for 97.

Nair was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Devcich, Green, Sandhu, Sams, Jordan and Fawad Ahmed claimed one wicket each.

Watson was named Man of the Match.