Sydney Thunder’s Davies brothers have starred with bat and ball as the top of the table Scorchers were beaten by six wickets in Perth.
But the Scorchers’ loss has been further soured by news star bowler Jhye Richardson limped from the field mid-over late in the contest in a massive blow.
Richardson, who has battled a heel issue this summer, was in career-best form in the BBL and formed a formidable powerplay duo with Jason Behrendorff.
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Scorchers captain Ashton Turner said it was a hamstring complaint that saw Richardson leave the field.
“He felt something in his hamstring,” Turner said post-match.
“He’s walking around in the change room with ice on it.
“Injuries are just one of the really frustrating things about our game.”
With Richardson gone, Thunder’s Alex Ross finished the game off with three overs to spare in the chase for 143.
Oliver Davies helped steer the Thunder home as he piled on 58 from 47 balls in an innings that included four fours and two sixes.
And it was his brother Joel, who was on debut, who helped limit Perth’s total with two brilliant run outs from the boundary and two catches in the field.
“It was pretty exiting, we got the win and I scored some runs but I think the best thing of the night was Joel getting out there on the field and getting two run outs and two catches,” Oliver Davies said.
“I’m just absolutely stoked for him. I’m over the moon.
“I think he’s one of the best fielders going round in Australia at the moment. He’s definitely got me covered. He had a cracking night.”
Earlier Turner steered the Scorchers’ rescue mission before some late hitting by the tail lifted Perth to 9-142 against the Thunder.
And in reply, Richardson put himself on a hat-trick for the second time this tournament – first by snaring Alex Hales and then Rilee Rossouw in successive deliveries in the second over.
English import Hales departed without troubling the scores, and started to walk before he was given out.
But from 2-10, Oliver Davies and Matt Gilkes ensured the Thunder got back on top at the halfway point of Sydney’s innings by putting on a 67-run stand.
“Ollie Davies in particular has put the pressure back on Perth right now,” Zampa said.
“I think the Thunder are in a really good position here.”
“They are pretty much in charge of the game here,” cricket great Brian Lara added.
Gilkes (32 off 26) holed out to Ashton Turner at mid off immediately after the drinks break to leave the door ajar for Perth.
Btu a mix up in the field when Nick Hobson called Matt Kelly out of a catch that then fell safe proved a turning point, as Alex Ross brought the required rate to less than a run a ball when he launched Richardson for a massive six down the ground.
And the Thunder weren’t troubled from that point as they cruised to victory.
Earlier the top-of-the-table Scorchers, sitting 5-1 coming into the match, were accused of “looking like amateurs” as wickets tumbled early.
With import Faf du Plessis (1) departing cheaply in Perth once again – and in his final match for the Scorchers this tournament, the home team just didn’t recover.
In 35C heat, the Scorchers’ top order melted fast with Cameron Bancroft, Adam Lyth and Josh Inglis all departing cheaply.
“They are pretty much looking like amateurs tonight,” cricket great Brian Lara said.
“Not sure if a lot of thought has been put into the fact you need to put some time in the middle before you try and go too big.”
After winning the toss and electing to bat first du Plessis top-edged his ramp shot and holed out to Ben Cutting at third man.
It leaves du Plessis averaging just 6 in his four innings at Perth Stadium this summer – reaching double figures just once at the Scorchers’ home ground.
And it only got worse for the home side when Bancroft (2 off 8) departed to a sharp Joel Davies catch on debut.
The Scorchers limped to 2-10 off the four-over powerplay and took until the fifth over of the match to find their first boundary.
Lyth (11) was run-out by a brilliant throw in from the boundary by debutant Davies and when Inglis (6 off 8) couldn’t hang around, Perth were in deep trouble at 4-28.
“I can’t understand the desire to play that shot,” Lara said of Inglis’ sweep shot.
“There’s a man down there waiting for it. No control at all.
“That’s a big wicket for the Sydney Thunder.”
Fox Cricket commentator Adam Zampa said the attacking style of play was just how Inglis went about his game.
“The situation of the game doesn’t really matter to him too much,” he said.
“He’s very attacking and that’s probably his downfall in that scenario.”
Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner did his best to lift his side, smashing 61 off 37 in an entertaining innings, but he couldn’t survive the powerplay and skied a Nathan McAndrew delivery.
Turner had rode his luck on his way to his second half century in three games; dropped on 11 by Brendan Doggett in a tough chance and surviving a run out where he was clearly short had the ball hit the stumps.
The captain got Perth into triple figures as Matt Kelly and AJ Tye tried to pick up where Turner left off late in the innings.
Kelly (17 off 12) was run out trying to push for three on Joel Davies’ arm from the boundary, leaving Tye (13* off 10) and Peter Hatzoglou (4* off 2) to face the final over.
And they were able to run hard and set the Thunder 143 for victory.
The Thunder are rounding into form, sitting second on the table and having won three straight matches, after their infamous score of 15 earlier this season.
They head into the clash against the Scorchers without all-rounder Daniel Sams, with the younger Davies brother Joel coming into the line up on debut.
He joins older brother Oliver in the 11, after impressing at the recent under-19 National Championships in Adelaide.
For the Scorchers, Aaron Hardie has been rested with Matt Kelly named for his second game of the tournament.
Tonight is Perth’s inaugural men’s BBL Pride game, celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.
The match gets underway at 9:15pm EDT from Optus Stadium.
TEAMS
Scorchers: Francois du Plessis, Adam Lyth, Cameron Bancroft, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Nick Hobson, Jhye Richardson, Matthew Kelly, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Peter Hatzoglou
Thunder: Matthew Gilkes (wk), Alex Hales, Rilee Rossouw, Oliver Davies, Alex Ross, Ben Cutting, Joel Davies, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green (c), Brendan Doggett, Usman Qadir
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