The Perth Scorchers have one foot in the BBL finals after defeating Adelaide by five wickets, but they still require a massive favour from Hobart to make the play-offs.
The Renegades’ three-wicket win over Brisbane earlier on Saturday meant either the Scorchers or Strikers could rise to fourth with victory at Perth’s Optus Stadium — as long as the margin was big enough.
The Strikers, batting first, had needed to taste victory by 15 runs or more, but it was Perth who achieved their aim of reaching the victory target in 18 overs or less.
The Strikers were bowled out for 161 in 19.1 overs following standout displays from 19-year-old paceman Mahli Beardman (3-17 off three overs) and Jason Behrendorff (3-21 off 3.1 overs) in front of 41,878 fans.
The Scorchers reached the victory target in 16.2 overs thanks to Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 39 off 21 balls, which featured four sixes.
The result means Perth (4-6) are now fourth, and will stay there if ladder leaders Hobart defeat the sixth-placed Melbourne Stars (4-5) in the final match of the regular season on Sunday.
However, if the Stars get up they will leapfrog Perth into fourth, meaning the Scorchers would miss out on the finals.
Connolly has scored a league-leading 351 runs, putting him in the box seat to win the golden bat with just the Stars v Hurricanes match to come.
But he won’t be available for finals after being called up to the Australian squad for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka.
He at least delivered Perth an amazing parting gift.
“It’s nice to be sitting in the top four, and it puts pressure on the Stars now,” Connolly said.
“It’s always nice to contribute to some team success.
“I’m rooting for the boys to be playing finals, and hoping they go all the way.
“I believe in this team that they have the ability to go all the way, but, yeah, just super stoked to get the win today.”
There were two key moments during the Scorchers’ innings.
Connolly was given out LBW on six when the scoreboard read 2-80.
The 21-year-old reviewed the decision, with the replay showing Lloyd Pope’s delivery had pitched marginally outside leg stump.
Then Brendan Doggett dropped a sitter in the outfield when Ashton Turner was on nine.
Turner went on to make 21, and Connolly guided the ship following his skipper’s exit to ensure the Scorchers reached the victory target well within the required 18 overs.
The Strikers were without Chris Lynn (hamstring) and Jamie Overton (England international duties), but got off to a flyer thanks to some big early hitting from Matt Short (40 off 21 balls) and Alex Carey (22 off seven).
The powerplay yielded 56 runs for the Strikers, and at 4-101 after 10 overs they were on track for a huge total.
But some mid-innings heroics from Beardman, who claimed the scalps of Alex Ross, Harry Manenti and Doggett, ensured the Strikers’ momentum stalled.
Liam Scott (67 off 43 balls) held the key to Adelaide’s hopes of posting some huge runs in the death overs.
But when he was sent packing by Ashton Agar in the 18th over among a collapse of 4-6, the Strikers limped to the end.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au