The Sydney Thunder have embarrassed themselves in a loss so bad it’s now the worst T20 score in men’s international cricket history.
The Thunder were rolled for just 15 in only 35 balls, in a defeat that left NSW cricket greats Brett Lee and Brad Haddin speechless.
“I haven’t seen a performance like that – it’s appalling for the Sydney Thunder,” Lee said on Fox Cricket.
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“15, really?
“I’m speechless.
“(The Strikers) haven’t even warmed up.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The match was likened to that of an “under 10s” by Fox Cricket commentator Dan Ginnane, while Lee joked Haddin’s young son could have done a better job out there with the bat.
Haddin was left in disbelief over the shambolic innings that lasted less than six overs and saw Brendan Doggett top score with a “fluky” four – the only boundary for the whole Thunder innings.
“That was just unbelievable,” he said.
“To be bowled out for 15 in 35 balls is just embarrassing.”
Remarkably, Strikers’ marquee man Rashid Khan didn’t even get a chance with the ball as Henry Thornton (5-3) and Wes Agar (4-6) absolutely tore through the Thunder.
Man of the match Thornton said even Strikers’ players couldn’t believe what was happening at the Sydney Showground on Friday night.
Haddin said he hoped Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss simply took the players for a beer and forgot about the historically awful match.
“I wouldn’t debrief this tonight,” he said.
“I think Trevor Bayliss is the perfect coach for the Thunder to have right now – there’s no point going in throwing chairs or kicking the cat – all you’ve got to do is move on.
“I’d walk out, have a beer and just not even talk about it.”
There were five ducks on the Thunder scorecard as Alex Hales, Matt Gilkes, Jason Sangha, Chris Green and Gurinder Sandhu all couldn’t get off the mark.
Green faced the most balls of any Sydney player (6) but failed to trouble the scorers.
Rilee Rossouw was unlucky in his dismal as he was forced to go after the catch of the summer.
Matt Short took an epic one-handed screamer at first slip in the moment that turned the match.
“He didn’t even know he had it in his hand!” Haddin praised at the time.
And from there, the Thunder couldn’t recover.
Daniel Sams was also unlucky in his dismal, after the ball clipped his thigh pad and fell onto the stumps.
But Lee and Haddin were both critical of a number of dismals, including Sangha and Hales, as their footwork let them down.
The Thunder now have just two days to regroup before they face the Melbourne Renegades at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
