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Half-centuries from South African duo Dane van Niekerk and Laura Wolvaardt helped Adelaide Strikers to a comfortable victory over the struggling Sydney Thunder at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.van Niekerk played the anchor role at the top of the order, making 58 off 46 balls with three fours and three sixes while Wolvaardt finished the innings in style with a blistering 54 off 32 balls including three sixes of her own. Thunder never looked likely in the chase until Issy Wong produced a staggering display of hitting, striking six sixes in 17 balls but they still fell 18 runs short.Strikers were cautious in the first ten over, scoring just 65 runs for the loss of Katie Mack who made 31 off 28. Wong bowled two maidens in the first ten overs but oddly bowled just three overs for the innings and conceded only eight runs. Strikers exploded in the back half of the innings scoring 111 runs in the last ten overs with van Niekerk and Wolvaardt doing most of the damage before Madeline Penna pounded a six and a four late to tick the total up to 4 for 176. Thunder dropped four catches during the innings and Sammy-Jo Johnson was the only bowler besides Wong who was spared, taking 2 for 25 from her four overs.Thunder struggled for momentum in the chase. Tahlia Wilson made 42 off 46 balls at the top of the order. Phoebe Litchfield tried to lift the rate with 40 off 28 but Strikers attack was disciplined. When Tahlia McGrath trapped Wilson lbw Thunder were 4 for 96, needing 82 from 32 balls.Wong then went ballistic, swatting three consecutive sixes off van Niekerk and then two more off Megan Schutt. But without any support from the other end, the required rate kept climbing. Wong struck a sixth six off Amanda-Jade Wellington from the first ball of the 19th over to reduce the equation to 35 from 11 but she was bowled for 43 off 17 balls trying to slog-sweep a yorker and Strikers closed out the match.Ashleigh Gardner smashed 86 not out off 52 balls•Mark Brake/Getty Images

Ashleigh Gardner’s stunning innings was in vain as Brisbane Heat’s top four chased down 160 with ease to brush aside Sydney Sixers at Karen Rolton Oval and reclaim second spot on the WBBL table.Gardner made 86 not out from just 52 balls with six fours and five sixes to help Sixers post a total of 2 for 159, but a half-century from Grace Harris and 48 not out from Georgia Voll, along with contributions from Georgia Redmayne and Laura Kimmince saw Heat mow down the target with nine balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.Harris continued her excellent season smashing four fours and two sixes, sharing a 53-run opening stand with Redmayne (27 off 18) who struck three fours and a six as well. But Gardner ended the partnership with a brilliant throw from the deep to run out Redmayne.However, Sixers would make just one more breakthrough with Harris holing out to deep square leg for 54 with 60 still needed from 47 balls. Voll and Kimmince hardly broke a sweat in reaching the target. Voll played with amazing control striking seven boundaries including the winning runs, while Kimmince smashed two sixes and a four in her 23 not out off 15 balls.Earlier, Gardner’s extraordinary innings was needed to overcome a terribly slow start from Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry. The veteran openers combined for 30 runs off 44 balls with just three boundaries. Healy made 16 from 26 and fell in the 12th over. It was left to Gardner and Nicole Bolton to pick up the slack. They scored 87 from the last eight overs of the innings with Bolton contributing 38 not out from 24 balls. But it wasn’t enough to make up for the slow start.

South Australia seamer Joe Mennie, who played one Test, has announced his retirement from state cricket so he can return to his family in the UK.Mennie, 32, missed the entire 2020-21 Australian season due to the pandemic travel restrictions while he was in the UK and though he had come back for this pre-season with the Redbacks he has opted to call time.”I am extremely grateful towards the Redbacks for backing me across the journey, in particular through a difficult period across last season and into this season,” he said. “To have two young children is an incredible joy, and I need to be as close to them as possible.”They are, and will always be, the most important part of my life, and I can’t wait to get back to the UK and see them again. My journey with SACA has been a long and enjoyable one, but the time has come for me to move into the next phase of my life, and I am excited to do that with those closest to me.”Mennie has taken 297 first-class wickets, 256 of them in the Sheffield Shield, putting him fifth for South Australia in the competition behind Clarrie Grimmett, Ashley Mallett, Chadd Sayers and Tim May.His one Test came against South Africa at Hobart in 2016 after which he became one of the players dropped when Australia were bowled out for 85 and thrashed by an innings. He had previously played two ODIs against South Africa.Mennie’s biggest haul in a domestic season came in 2015-16 when he claimed 51 wickets at 21.21 and he had another standout campaign in 2018-19 with 37 wickets at 19.72.”When looking at the numbers, it is clear that Joe is one of the greatest bowlers the Redbacks have seen; but Joe’s impact on this great state goes well beyond the numbers,” South Australia head coach Jason Gillespie said. “He is a true professional, always willing to put the team first, and someone that we will greatly miss.”Not only has Joe represented South Australia, he also has a prized baggy green cap resting beside his baggy red, and that is something that he will be able to treasure forever. Something that he earned through dedication, hard-work, commitment and passion.”We thank Joe for every delivery he bowled as a Redback and his willingness to get stuck into the task at hand every day. We wish him and his loved ones well. He will always be welcome at Adelaide Oval.”

Big picture

IPL 2021 was the first time that the Royal Challengers Bangalore won more than two games in a row at the start of a season. In fact, they won their first four matches. In a tournament in which they have promised much but not delivered a title, it seemed like just the Royal Challengers’ luck that such an event would happen. However, the break might have actually done the franchise good, because they’ve got a squad that looks rather stronger than the already good unit they had at the start of the tournament. The loss of Washington Sundar to injury is significant, but in the bargain, they have gained Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera and George Garton – a quartet that looks more potent than the ones they’ve lost: Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Finn Allen and Kane Richardson.

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In comparison, Kolkata Knight Riders’ only replacement between the two halves of the IPL has been Tim Southee in place of Pat Cummins who has withdrawn from the second leg of the league.At this point, both teams are exactly halfway through their league campaign, and have mirror-image results: the Royal Challengers have won five and lost two games, while the Knight Riders have won two and lost five. That’s an accurate reflection of how well each side did in the first half. Whether it’s a portent of what’s to come in the second remains to be seen.Related

• Virat Kohli set to become first player to 200 IPL matches for a single team

• Narine in CPL team of the tournament

• Washington ruled out of remainder of IPL 2021

• Southee replaces Cummins at KKR

In the news

With Cummins absent, the Knight Riders could bring in Lockie Ferguson’s fiery pace. Ferguson had tested positive for Covid-19 about a month ago in England, but has recovered now and reached the UAE after returning a negative test. The other three Knight Riders’ overseas spots are a lock-in, with captain Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine – the latter two in good form in CPL 2021, particularly Narine. They have the option of Shakib Al Hasan, but it’ll be tough to look past how well Narine bowled in the CPL.For the Royal Challengers, Hasaranga is expected to slot into the XI straightaway as the fourth overseas player alongside AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell and Kyle Jamieson. Washington’s injury also opens the doors for Shahbaz Ahmed to be potential starter in the XI. Garton, who had a good outing on the Blast finals day with bat and ball, will be unavailable for selection for the Royal Challengers. He is scheduled to fly to UAE on Monday and will then have to complete a mandatory quarantine period. He remains an unlikely starter for the team in any case.0:59

Morgan: ‘We are a dangerous side, with nothing to lose’

Likely XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Nitish Rana, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Lockie Ferguson, 9 Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Shivam Mavi, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Prasidh KrishnaRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Kyle Jamieson, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Strategy punt

• Dinesh Karthik has a marked difference when coming in later in the innings than earlier. Since IPL 2020, whenever Karthik has come in before the 13th over, he has averaged 12.50 and struck at 116. There’s a sea-change when he’s come in after the 13th over, averaging 104 and striking at 171. The strategy for KKR should be clear: don’t bat Karthik in a fixed position, rather bat him at fixed times. Unless Russell is still in the shed, it would be worth sending Karthik in when a wicket falls near the death overs, even if it means he goes in ahead of Morgan, for example.
• In the first half of IPL 2021 in India, de Villiers hit a game-plan that proved largely successful for him. He was knocking the ball around in the middle overs, and exploding at the death. His middle-overs strike rate was just 92, the lowest among batters with at least 50 runs in that phase. However, his death-overs strike rate was 243, the second highest in that phase. de Villiers is adaptable enough to tinker with that approach if the need arises, but his method demonstrates how tough it is to bowl to him once set, which is why the Royal Challengers can afford de Villiers a few balls to do that. Having Maxwell coming in just before him also helps, since the burden of big-hitting is not exclusively on de Villiers.

Stats that matter

• Kohli is set to play his 200th IPL game when he leads the Royal Challengers against the Knight Riders. He’ll be the fifth to get there after MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, but the only one to do it all for a single franchise.
• Kohli is also only 71 runs shy of becoming just the fifth man to amass 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, behind Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Shoaib Malik and David Warner.
• Russell and de Villiers have each been the nemesis for the other’s team in the IPL’s recent past. Since IPL 2019, no one has hit more sixes against the Royal Challengers than Russell (19 – joint most with KL Rahul but in one fewer innings). In that same period, no one has hit more than de Villiers’ 13 sixes against the Knight Riders.

On the win: ‘We had the belief that we could get them out in those 60 overs’
“Super proud of the whole team, the way we stuck to our plans in this Test match after being put in. Our performance with the bat was outstanding. The pitch didn’t offer much [to the bowlers] in the first three days to be honest. I think the first day was most challenging [for the batters], after that it was quite difficult for the bowlers to gain anything from the track but I think the way we played in the second innings, after being put under pressure this morning, Jasprit and Shami, was absolutely outstanding.”We thought 60 overs to go, we could have a crack at the result, and we had the belief that we could get them out in those 60 overs. I think the bowlers were just outstanding and what happened in our second innings, right at the end with the bowlers, a bit of tension on the field [and needle between the teams] really helped us and really motivated us to finish this game.”On lower order’s contribution with bat: ‘They have that desire in them to do the job’
Just to applaud what Jasprit and Shami did… It takes a lot of character and heart to play under those circumstances as bowlers who don’t get much to bat, and just putting their hand up for the team when we needed it most, it was something that we were really proud of and we want to let them know. They were charged up and both took the new ball and got us two breakthroughs as well, which were very crucial for us.”When we were our most successful in Test cricket for a year and a half, our lower order was contributing big time and that’s something that we went away from a little bit when we play away from home. So that was one of our focuses, the batting coach has really worked hard with the boys and they are putting in the hard work. Most importantly when they walk out to bat, they believe that they can stay there and give some runs for the team. I think that belief was missing [before]; we were practising but now they have that desire in them to do the job for the team and we know how priceless those runs are and that proved to be the case even today as well.”Comparing this victory to the 2014 Lord’s win: ‘What happened on the field really charged us up’
“I was part of the winning Test match last time when I was a player under MS [Dhoni]. That was pretty special as well, Ishant bowled an outstanding spell. In that game, we put them under pressure on day four itself.”But this one, to get a result in 60 overs, when we all thought let’s just have a crack at what we have in front of us… It’s quite special and especially when someone like Siraj is playing for the first time at Lord’s and bowling the way he did, [it] was outstanding. As I said, what happened on the field [the verbals] really charged us up and gave us that extra motivation to finish the game off.”On the timing of the declaration: ‘I thought anything under 55 doesn’t sound right’
“It was more a case of ‘what’s the number of overs we are comfortable with’. I thought anything under 55 doesn’t sound right, I don’t want to walk off the field later thinking ‘what if we had four or five more overs left with us’. We decided, okay, 60 is our mark, and we are going to have a crack at them in 60 overs but, as I said, the crucial breakthroughs with the ball were the right start for us and we carried on from there.”We have three more games to go, our aim is five Test matches. We are not going to sit on our laurels after this match and just take it easy. If at all, we going to get more intense and more precise in what we do in the next three games.”

Match facts

Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians
Indore, April 20, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:17

Hogg: Pollard is starting to become a mentor

Form guide

• Kings XI Punjab (Fifth): lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 5 runs, lost to Delhi Daredevils by 51 runs, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets

• Mumbai Indians (Third): defeated Gujarat Lions by 6 wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 4 wickets, defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 4 wickets

Head to head

Overall:After 18 matches, both teams are deadlocked at nine wins apiece. But Mumbai Indians have a 6-3 lead in the last nine matches.Last season:It’s another deadlock. Marcus Stoinis set up Kings XI Punjab’s win in Visakhapatnam, taking 4 for 15, while Mumbai’s win in Mohali was headlined by a 137-run second-wicket partnership between Parthiv Patel and Ambati Rayudu.

In the news

Mumbai are off to their best start in IPL history with four wins in five matches and would hope to better that record considering Kings XI have lost all three of their most recent games.Manan Vohra’s sublime 95 almost papered over Kings XI’s overseas players – Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Eoin Morgan and Hashim Amla – scoring only 24 runs in the last match and it is this area that has been letting them down. Miller has the second-lowest strike-rate (103.75) among the 30 batsmen who have faced at least 65 balls this season and he might lose his spot if Shaun Marsh and Martin Guptill are match fit,Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma has not been opening because he feels his experience is needed in the middle order. That strategy works with Nitish Rana doing so well at No. 3 that he is the team’s top scorer.

The likely XIs

Kings XI Punjab 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Manan Vohra, 3 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell (capt), 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 David Miller, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Mohit Sharma, 9 Sandeep Sharma, 10 KC Cariappa, 11 Ishant SharmaMumbai Indians 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Parthiv Patel (wk), 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Rohit Sharma (capt), 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Lasith Malinga

Strategy punt

• Kings XI bowlers could look to bowl wide of off stump to the left-handed Rana, and get KC Cariappa to bowl more offbreaks than carrom balls at him. Rana has scored 127 runs off 77 balls on the leg side while only scoring 66 runs off 60 balls on the off side.
• Rohit should expect to face Axar Patel, Cariappa or even Maxwell as soon as he comes in. He has been dismissed by spin bowling four times in four innings this season, scoring 13 runs off 21 balls. Rohit would still back himself considering he averaged 54.28 against slow bowling in the previous two seasons.

Stats that matter

• In the two IPL games at the Holkar Stadium this year, batsmen have clobbered as many as 36 sixes, and only 39 fours.
• Fast bowlers have the worst average in Indore out of all the venues this season. They have taken nine wickets at an average of 50.33 and an economy rate of 9.24. By contrast, spinners have taken seven wickets at 24.57 and an economy of 7.02.
• Nitish Rana has hit a half-century in each of the three times he has batted at No. 3. He made 70 against Gujarat Lions in 2016 to go along with his two fifties this year. Rohit Sharma, in comparison, scored 3, 4 and 0 the last three times he was at No. 3. Rana is also excellent against left-arm bowlers: he has scored 63 runs off 34 balls without ever being dismissed. Against right-arm bowlers, he has made 130 runs in 111 balls.
• Spin has troubled Mumbai’s batsmen in the Powerplay this season. They have gained only 26 runs in 42 deliveries and have given up five wickets in the process. By contrast, Mumbai have scored 201 off 138 against fast bowlers in the first six overs.
• In six innings, Rohit has been dismissed by Sandeep Sharma twice, with the Mumbai batsman managing only 18 runs off 19 balls. Kings XI’s Miller, on the other hand, has been knocked over by Lasith Malinga thrice in four games.
• Indore has offered an economy rate of 4.83 to teams bowling first in the Powerplay. At every other venue this season, runs have been scored at a rate of at least seven per over in this phase. Indore makes up with the batsmen in the slog overs though, affording runs at a rate of 13.20, the second-highest among all venues in 2017

ScorecardFile photo – Shem Ngoche finished with figures of 3 for 18 from six overs•AFP

The efforts of Kenya’s bowlers, particularly left-arm spinner Shem Ngoche, set the base for their five-wicket win (Duckworth-Lewis method) as they limited Nepal to 112 for 8 in a rain-affected match in Kirtipur.The match was reduced to 38 overs a side after a delay due to rain and Kenya, having opted to field, immediately stifled Nepal. The hosts lost their first five wickets with only 66 on the board from 23 overs and, at 82 for 8 in the 32nd over, were in danger of being bowled out for less than 100. However, a ninth-wicket partnership of 30, the best for Nepal, between Shakti Gauchan and Sompal Kami lifted them to 112 for 8 before rain arrived again in the 36th over. Gyanendra Malla, captaining the side in place of Paras Khadka, top-scored with 27 while Ngoche had returns of 3 for 18. Ngoche was well supported by Nelson Odhiambo, who took 2 for 17, while three others bowlers took a wicket apiece.Upon resumption, Kenya were set a revised target of 104 off 29 overs. Spinners Sagar Pun and Basant Regmi quickly prised out Kenya’s top three by the seventh over, with Pun striking off successive deliveries to dismiss Irfan Karim and Dhiren Gondaria. However, Collins Obuya and Rakep Patel kept the chase on course with a steady 44-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rakep carried on after Obuya was dismissed, stitching a useful stand with Gurdeep Singh. The score had reached 76 for 5 in the 22nd over before another rain break left the side with a revised target of 94 from 26 overs. Patel ended the match with a six off Sompal Kami to finish unbeaten on 34 and seal Kenya’s fifth win in the tournament so far.

Batsmen Asela Gunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella have been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, following their success in limited-overs internationals over the past month.Gunaratne hit two match-winning fifties in the recent T20 series in Australia, and had also struck a maiden ODI hundred in South Africa earlier in the month. Dickwella, meanwhile, has been effective at the top of the order in the shorter formats, but had also had some first-class form behind him in recent domestic outings.Among those omitted from the squad are Kusal Perera, who has been in poor form in both international and domestic cricket over the past few months, and opener Kaushal Silva.Dimuth Karunaratne, the other opener, remains in the squad, however. This is thanks in part to his 212 for Sri Lanka A against England Lions over the weekend. He had also hit Sri Lanka’s only half-century in their most recent Test at the Wanderers.The selectors sprang no major surprises on the bowling front. Malinda Pushpakumara, whom SLC had already announced would be part of the squad, is the only first-time addition. Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and Vikum Sanjaya – all right-armers – make up the seam-bowling options, while Rangana Herath leads a strong spin contingent featuring Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan in addition to Pushpakumara. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has not played competitive cricket since late last year, and, as such, is unavailable.Gunaratne’s inclusion in this squad was largely expected. He had prospered in his first Test series in Zimbabwe over October and November, and had only left the squad to make way for the return of Angelo Mathews, who had been injured for that series. With Mathews out of the side again for this series, Gunaratne is a potential replacement at no. 5, capable of providing a slow-medium bowling option for captain Herath.Dickwella, 23, had to beat out a late challenge from Ron Chandraguptha to secure the second opener’s spot, but was also the frontrunner for this position. He had mixed results in his previous stint in the Test team in 2014, playing as wicketkeeper and batting down the order – he averages 20.57 after seven Test innings – but has since expanded his game. He was the Player of the Series in the 2-1 T20 victory over South Africa in January, and had also scored 522 runs at an average of 52.20 in Sri Lanka’s first-class competition before he left for that tour.The Test series begins on March 7 in Galle.Sri Lanka squad: Rangana Herath (capt), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.

Matthew Wade, Australia’s stand-in captain for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, will return home from New Zealand due to a back injury. Wade will return to Melbourne, where he will undergo treatment in a bid to help him return to full fitness ahead of Australia’s training camp in Dubai in preparation for the Test tour of India later this month.Wade, who was appointed captain for the series in the absence of Steven Smith and David Warner, injured his back during training ahead of the series opener in Auckland, which Australia lost by six runs. Aaron Finch, who stood in for Wade as captain in the first ODI, will take charge in the remaining matches, in Napier ( February 2) and Hamilton (February 5). No replacement has been named, which means Peter Handscomb is likely to continue as wicketkeeper.

Australia squad for last two ODIs:

Aaron Finch (capt), Pat Cummins, James Faulkner, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Sam Heazlett, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

“With Matthew not being fit for Thursday’s game in Napier it has been decided to send him home for an assessment and treatment in Melbourne, with a view to him being fit for the tour of India and the training camp in Dubai that precedes it,” John Orchard, Cricket Australia’s chief medical officer, said. “We are hopeful this injury will settle down relatively quickly and that he will be able to participate in that tour without any issues.”Wade, too, clarified that the nature of injury wasn’t serious and the decision to return home was precautionary. “It’s not a major injury but with the short turnaround between matches and the four-and-a-half-hour journey by bus to Hamilton for the next match, it’s been decided it’s best for me to go home and get some treatment in Melbourne,” he said. “With Dubai and then India I’d say I’d definitely be right for that. I’ll get that bit of treatment in Melbourne and we’re hopeful it’ll be fine by Sunday or Monday, and I can be on a flight to Dubai and start training pretty much as soon as I hit the ground there.”Wade said the lower back injury that he picked up while diving during a routine fielding drill had flared up previously, and the subsequent recovery had been swift. “It’s happened to me once before, in Ireland a couple of years ago. I did it the day before the game then and was right to go the next day. This one’s just taken a little bit more time and there’s no reason why that’s happened. Sometimes you recover really quickly and at other times it’s a little slower.”It’s heartbreaking I couldn’t take the field as captain but it’s been a real honour to have been appointed captain and to be able to lead the group in the time I’ve been here in New Zealand. And after all, it’s all about the team, it’s not about me. Hopefully we can win the next two games and win the series.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball updatesSean Abbott finished 2016 with a five-for but failed to finished the year with a win•Getty Images

Despite the best efforts of Sean Abbott – who avenged his mauling by Travis Head here last New Year – the Adelaide Strikers saw in 2017 in style by comfortably defending their modest total of 152 with an outstanding bowling display that gave them their first win of the Big Bash League in a match that was attended by 45,741 fans.Abbott recorded just the fifth five-for in BBL history, and the competition’s best figures since 2012, but Sixers’ batting crumbled in a heap at Adelaide Oval to lose six wickets inside 25 runs as they were bowled out 104 in the 19th over.Abbott’s revenge not enough
The 2015 edition of this fixture – a quite extraordinary game – will be remembered longest for Head’s assault on Abbott; 51 runs from 16 balls gave Strikers the unlikeliest victory and sent Adelaide into raptures.It was a different story this time round. Abbott came on for the first time in the tenth over, with the Strikers – with Brad Hodge backing up Ben Dunk – 89 for 1 and cruising. With his fourth ball, Abbott made Dunk pick out short cover, then dismissed Hodge – caught well by the sprinting Johan Botha at cow corner – and that man Head, who Will Somerville dived athletically to catch at fine leg, in his next over. Next over, Jake Lehmann played all around Somerville – who cancelled a holiday celebrating his wedding anniversary to play – and the Strikers were suddenly and improbably at 102 for 5.Abbott returned for two more overs of clever variations at the death – picking up the wickets of Chris Jordan and Tom Andrews, both skying – and his figures read 5 for 16. Perhaps his parsimony turned the game most: none of his four cost more than seven, he did not concede a boundary and half his deliveries were dots. Abbott’s was a mighty contribution; alas it did not prove enough.Chris Jordan took two crucial wickets of Daniel Hughes and the dangerous Sam Billings to finish the game on a high•Getty Images

A wicket an over keeps the doctor away
After a steady if unspectacular start (Jason Roy’s reverse-slog-swept six aside) the Sixers lost a wicket in each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth overs – all of which were delivered by different bowlers – to lose five wickets for 12 runs. The Sixers were under the pump and, as if to illustrate the point, when the fourth of those wickets fell (Brad Haddin treading on his stumps to the effortlessly awkward Billy Stanlake), Sam Billings was greeted by a slip, gully and short leg.The trouble did not stop there. After two safe overs break, Botha cut Ben Laughlin – who had begun the rot with the wicket of Roy – straight to point, then Abbott prodded back to Liam O’ Connor. At 64 for 7, it looked a good game to win for the Sixers. All this from a batting line-up that, bolstered by the return of Nic Maddinson – whose dismissal, caught at point, was perhaps the tamest of all – looked extremely strong.Billings’ lone hand
Billings has just one more match for the Sixers before he joins up with England in India but his three innings so far have seen him score 42, 40 and 40 more here. He was left to do the job alone and, after a ropey start in which he could have been caught, stumped or chopped on, it proved too much. That does not mean there wasn’t time for some outrageous strokeplay as the fireworks roared overhead – twice he swept seamers into the members’ section, while there was a beautiful drive down the ground, too. With 54 required from 19 balls (a situation not unlike Head’s last year), it took a special moment from his mate Jordan to dislodge Billings, with a magical caught and bowled.Strikers’ varied striking options
The Strikers should not have had enough runs to win this game. That they did was down to their varied bowling attack. Hodge used seven bowlers (three spin, four seam), and did not need to call upon Keiron Pollard until the 16th over of the innings.The spinners flew through their overs, with O’Connor particularly impressive. Of the seamers, Jordan was excellent up top, and Stanlake’s pace, bounce and tricky angle made him difficult to hit. Laughlin, though, with his run and pace becoming ever shorter and slower, was the pick of the lot, conceding just 10 runs from his four.If the Strikers continue to bowl like this, they could make another final, despite losing their opening two fixtures.

Australia will not make any changes to the team chosen for the Perth Test against South Africa, irrespective of the result over the final two days at the WACA Ground.The coach Darren Lehmann confirmed an unchanged squad for the Hobart Test, which starts from November 12, meaning guaranteed tenures for Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill and Adam Voges. Australia took a similar approach during the tour of Sri Lanka, making only the injury-enforced change of Jon Holland for Steve O’Keefe for the second Test before introducing more drastic changes in the third.Lehmann reflected on how Australia had let the Perth Test get away, having made such a strong start on the first day and the second morning. He believed that the batsmen had not responded well to South Africa’s loss of Dale Steyn to a shoulder injury, which he had seen as an opportunity to take command of the match.”We spoke about that, probably not playing their natural games at times, especially to the left-arm spinner getting the field back,” Lehmann told . “So we probably were a bit too timid at times and not looking to score and rotate the strike. Having said that they did bowl well, and we didn’t counter it well enough.”They do all the prep, they’re great young men, they’re trying to do as well as they can for Australia each and every time, it’s just a case of little mental lapses at times. Collectively we’re always pretty positive, but stats will show we haven’t batted as well as we would have liked the last few Test matches. There’s no hiding the fact we’ve got to bat better.”There’s always pressure when you’re coaching your country or playing for the country, that’s why the guys have got to where they’ve got to. They’ve been brilliant doing all the work behind the scenes and playing at the level below, now they’ve got to do it at this level. There’s always pressure whether you win or lose, a lot less when you’re winning.”