Matthew Gilkes led the way with an unbeaten 74 as the Thunder took a big step towards playing in the BBL|12 finals with a comfortable eight-wicket win over the Renegades
Match Report:
ScorecardThunder snap losing streak with crucial Canberra win
Sydney Thunder are inside the KFC BBL|12's top five after cruising to an important win against the Melbourne Renegades at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Set 143 to win, Thunder opener Matthew Gilkes fired his team to victory with a brilliant 74 not out to guide them home in the 19th over.
The win moved the Thunder into fourth on the table with just two regular-season games left, while the third-placed Renegades will still likely need another win to punch their tickets to finals.
Superstar opener David Warner looked in fine touch and smacked a huge six in his 29 but holed out to hand debutant spinner Corey Rocchiccioli his first BBL wicket.
Rocchiccioli made it two wickets in two balls when Ollie Davies chipped one to mid-wicket for a golden duck, but a disastrous Fawad Ahmed drop cost him a third wicket three balls later and massively let Gilkes and his team off the hook with the opener on 29 at the time.
Gilkes took full advantage of the second change, smashing seven fours and a six in his 55-ball innings.
Alex Ross supported Gilkes perfectly, feeding him the strike while making an unbeaten 40 of his own.
It was Gilkes' second half century of the tournament, having hit 56 not out in December against the Brisbane Heat.
After winning the bat flip and opting to bat, the Renegades posted 9-142 after Will Sutherland's 41 off 22 balls saved them from a disastrous total.
Martin Guptill carved 30 off 27 and captain Aaron Finch chipped in with 22, but neither failed to turn their starts into a big score as the Renegades struggled.
Spinner Usman Qadir (2-20) starred with two vital wickets, including the big scalp of Finch just as he looked set to get his side into the game.
Sutherland's late fireworks that helped the Renegades take 26 off their final over after a nine-over stretch where they managed just two boundaries.
There will be some alarm bells ringing for the Renegades as they search for a first finals appearance in four seasons, having lost two of their last three games and with that one win requiring a last-minute capitulation by the Melbourne Stars.