Thunder opener Matt Gilkes has cashed in on Fawad Ahmed’s horror drop to lead his side to an eight-wicket victory on Thursday night.
Gilkes finished unbeaten on 74 off just 55 balls as he guided his side “fairly comprehensively” chasing 143, getting the win with 10 balls to spare.
Renegades debutant Corey Rocchiccioli had single-handedly threatened to turn the match in the 9th over, by snaring the prized wickets of David Warner (26 off 23) and Oliver Davies (0 off 1), before he should have had Gilkes three balls later.
But Ahmed’s shocker proved to be the “game changer” as Gilkes (on 29 at the time) went on to secure victory and set up a thrilling Sydney derby against rivals the Sixers this weekend.
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“Little bit fortunate there,” Gilkes smiled post-match.
“I was basically walking off!
“You need a bit of luck sometimes in cricket so it was nice to stay out there.”
Fox Cricket’s Mark Waugh described the moment as the “turning point” in the match.
“It was a tough one to accept that dropped catch,” he said.
“They would have been 3-58 had the catch been taken.”
The Thunder’s victory – ending a three-game losing streak – saves star Daniel Sams from his poor performance after bowling a Steve Harmison-like shocker and then another that didn’t even make it onto the pitch.
The Renegades were just never in the contest until Will Sutherland’s entertaining 23-ball cameo, where he took 26 runs off Sams’ final over.
“It was a pretty ordinary batting performance,” Fox Cricket’s Mark Waugh lamented.
“And I don’t think the Thunder bowled that well. They bowled a lot of wides, a lot of freebies.”
Warner was off to a fast start as he and opener Gilkes brought up a half-century stand chasing 143 for victory.
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But Warner fell in puzzling scenes as he tried to go large – despite the Thunder cruising in the chase in the 9th over.
“I don’t think he needed to do that at this stage of the game,” Fox Cricket’s Mark Waugh said.
“The Thunder had this game under control.”
And it only got worse when Oliver Davies lasted just one ball – putting the debutant on a hat-trick.
The same over, Gilkes tried to sweep Rocchiccioli and top edged it, sitting the catch up for Ahmed who had a moment he’d like to forget.
“I was about to say that’s terrible batting – and it was – but that’s worse fielding,” Waugh said.
“He’s got to have good look at himself Matt Gilkes. That was a really bad shot option given the circumstances in that over.
“Gee, you’ve got to catch that. That’s a huge moment in the game.”
Earlier Will Sutherland (42* off 23) lifted the Renegades to a competitive total as he made “mince meat” of a wayward Daniel Sams with a brilliant 26-run final over.
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After ‘Gades skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and opted to bat, it was the Thunder off to a horror start.
Three “disappointing” wides to start from Brendan Doggett culminated in a simple dropped catch by Nathan McAndrew five balls later.
“You can forgive one but I’m not sure you can forgive three,” Fox Cricket’s Mark Waugh said.
“Geez this is a bad start. Three wides and now a relatively easy dropped catch.
“(McAndrew) had to go to his left but he got there in plenty of time, You’ve got to take that.
“You can see the heads drop already – you don’t want that at the start of the game.”
And it only got worse still for the Thunder when Daniel Sams couldn’t find his radar from the other end as he emulated the infamous Steve Harmison Gabba shocker.
“(Laughing) they’ve both gone to fourth slip those first two!” Waugh said in disbelief.
“He was bowling on the wrong pitch for a little while.”
It took Warner to step up and send Jake Fraser-McGurk (5) packing with his safe pair of hands.
Once again, the Gades’ troubles at the top of the order showed as Fraser-McGurk’s single digit exit became the 11th for an opener in their 12 games.
But it was Sams who got the crucial breakthrough of Martin Guptill (30 off 27), after the Kiwi import was left in two minds and chopped on.
Guptill’s wicket sparked a mini collapse as the Renegades lost 3-17 – including skipper Aaron Finch to an “unlucky” umpire’s call review.
Finch was given out by umpire Paul Wilson when hit on the pads by an Usman Qadir wrong ‘un, but he was adamant the ball was sliding down leg.
Ball tracking technology disagreed with the decision deemed an umpire’s call, leaving a furious Finch to throw his bat in frustration.
“He cannot believe it,” commentator Anthony Hudson said.
“He is not one for theatrics. He’s throwing his bat more in disbelief than anything else.”
“I’ve got to say I’m surprised that was clipping. It looked to be missing live,” Waugh added.
McAndrew overcame his horror start in the field with a brilliant run out to send Matthew Critchley on his way for 12 off 19.
The Thunder all-rounder was able to throw down the stumps. almost from square leg, with Critchley caught so short he wasn’t even in the frame.
“The batting’s just been a bit casual tonight,” Waugh lamented as the Renegades slumped to 6-100 with four overs to go.
“Their best over’s only been 12 (runs) which is very low for a T20 game.”
It took a brilliant final over from Sutherland to lift the Gades to a respectable 9-142 as he smashed Sams for a whopping 26 runs off the final over.
Sams was sent for three sixes – including two off slower balls over deep mid wicket, and bowled a delivery so bad it didn’t even make it onto the pitch.
“Geez, that’s missed the cut surface!” Waugh said.
“That’s a big mistake.
“That’s the second one he’s bowled this innings.
“It’s a big turning point.”
The subsequent free hit – from the off-pitch no ball – was sent by Sutherland for four.
But ultimately it wasn’t enough for the Renegades who tumble down the BBL table from third as finals loom large.
TEAMS
Thunder: David Warner, Matthew Gilkes (wk), Blake Nikitaras, Oliver Davies, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green (c), Brendan Doggett, Usman Qadir
Renegades: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Martin Guptill, Sam Harper (wk), Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Critchley, Jonathan Wells, Will Sutherland, Tom Rogers, Kane Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Fawad Ahmed
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