The Adelaide Strikers celebrate a wicket in 2022. (Photo: Adelaide Strikers/Twitter)
The Adelaide Strikers made history with six consecutive wins to continue their rich vein of form on the pursuit of the franchise’s second BBL title.
They held on against the Sydney Thunder to seal a six run win in the Knockout, continuing on their impressive form to book a date with the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday evening.
This game would not have been possible if not for the ten bonus points (one earned per game for being ahead of their opponents) that have been accrued by the Strikers to ensure fourth position on the table.
The form that the Strikers have shown has been head-turning to say the least. After sitting on the bottom of the ladder a week and a half ago, many were questioning whether they were in the hunt at all.
One of the players that is responsible for this change of form is their acting captain Peter Siddle. The former Australian fast bowler has been an excellent leader in Travis Head’s absence, with his fielding and bowling being a momentum changer.
He has taken the most amount of wickets in the tournament with 29 and often bowls the death overs, during the power play, and power surge overs, making this feat more impressive.
Topping the runs statistic is Matthew Short with a superb 487 runs, which is second in the competition. He has been imperative to a sometimes stuttering or collapsing batting unit.
He featured heavily in the Eliminator, where he took one wicket and scored 89 runs off just 48 balls as well as in a win against the Hobart Hurricanes, where he took one wicket and scored 72 runs off 44 balls.
Short has also been important with the ball in the power play, keeping the opposition tight for the first over.
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Fawad Ahmed was basically left on the scrapheap by the Perth Scorchers, who opted not to resign the leg-spinner for the BBL|11 season.
His impact in the absence of Rashid Khan has been invaluable, especially against his highly favoured former team, where he took three wickets in a Man of the Match display.
Henry Thornton was a revelation in BBL|11 for the Adelaide Strikers, taking 11 wickets in six games including figures of 4/26 in a Man of the Match performance for the Strikers against the Melbourne Stars.
Other notable performances include 2/30 and 2/25 against the Scorchers and Hurricanes respectively, both finalist teams.
Ian Cockbain was a player that arrived on the scene with very little fanfare, but the English International was a shrewd find by the Strikers.
He has two 50s to his name in the five innings he has played in BBL|11, with nearly 200 runs total. The two performances that he exceeded the half-century proved to be vital, helping to secure the win for his team and the Man of the Match honours.
The Strikers will face off against the Sixers on Wednesday for a chance in the Final against the Scorchers.
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