The Sydney Thunder have sputtered their way to the lowest total in BBL history, just 15 runs, to hand the Adelaide Strikers the easiest of wins at Showground Stadium.
The Thunder looked in control after restricting the Strikers to 9-139 after losing the toss and being sent into the field on Friday night but were bowled out in 35 balls to come up well short of the previous record for the lowest score (57).
Henry Thornton (5-3) and Wes Agar (4-6) ran riot as the Thunder limped to 6-9 in the power play.
Adelaide’s two marquee bowlers Peter Siddle and Rashid Khan did not even need to bowl.
Specialist quick Brendan Doggett top-scored for the Thunder with only four runs, scored from the sole boundary of an innings that lasted less than 40 minutes.
Wes Agar after taking one of the wickets.Credit:Getty Images
The Strikers once again had success by starting their innings with spinner Matt Short, who dispatched of Matthew Gilkes with a length ball that the opener hit to point.
It was Gilkes’ second duck from as many balls this tournament but the Strikers were only getting started.
Short took an early contender for catch of the tournament by jumping in the slips for a one-handed grab to dismiss Rilee Rossouw, whose three runs made him the highest scorer of the out-and-out batters.
Thornton had captain Jason Sangha only two balls later as the second of five ducks.
It leaves the Thunder with some serious soul-searching to do following a demoralising innings with the potential to derail a season.
Earlier, Chris Lynn and Colin de Grandhomme forged a 66-run partnership for the only real highlight of theStrikers’ modest 9-139 innings first up.
But the Thunder’s effort made the Strikers look like world beaters and they now move to 2-0.
AAP
