Strikers book finals berth with big win over Sixers

Blistering half centuries from Matt Renshaw and Ian Cockbain have guaranteed the Adelaide Strikers’ place in the KFC BBL|11 finals with a thumping win over the Sydney Sixers in their final game of the regular season.

The Strikers never looked troubled as they chased down their target of 162 inside 18 overs for the loss of just two wickets at Adelaide Oval on Monday evening.

Renshaw (50 off 31 balls) and Henry Hunt (15 off nine) got the Strikers off to a quick start as they whacked 49 from the four-over powerplay at a run-rate of 12.25 per over.

Hunt was out on the second last ball of the fielding restrictions, which was Ben Dwarshuis’ 100th wicket in his BBL career, the fifth bowler to reach the milestone.

But the Strikers' late season English signing Ian Cockbain made sure the celebrations were short-lived by edging his first ball for four.

The 34-year-old, who played for the Welsh Fire in the first season of The Hundred, was recruited from club cricket in southeast Melbourne last week where he had been playing for Langwarrin.

The Strikers claimed the crucial Bash Boost point in just the seventh over as Renshaw and Cockbain kept up the assault on the Sixers bowlers with a 53-run second wicket partnership.

The left-hander brought up his fifty in the 10th over but was out immediately after trying to ramp young allrounder Hayden Kerr (1-37), who took his BBL|11 wickets tally to 19 to move into third behind Peter Siddle.

From there Cockbain (71no from 42 balls) and Jono Wells (27no) rapidly progressed the Strikers towards locking in their finals spot, taking 17 runs from one Dwarshuis (1-37) over as their unbeaten stand of 67 saw them home with 15 balls to spare.

Earlier, a maiden Big Bash half century from Justin Avendano breathed some life into the Sixers innings after their imposing top order was well held by the Strikers attack.

The 28-year-old, who also played two games for the COVID-hit Melbourne Stars this season, cleared the rope five times in his 29-ball innings of 52, which was his highest score in 15 BBL matches across four seasons.

Josh Philippe (22) and Jack Edwards got the Sixers off to a solid start with an opening stand of 44 after they elected to bat first, but the introduction of veteran leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed in the seventh over changed the course of the innings.

Fawad bowled Philippe around his legs in his first over and then bamboozled Edwards in his third, who was bowled for a run-a-ball 34.

He then claimed Daniel Hughes caught behind next ball for a golden duck as he finished with 3-16 from his four overs, his second three-wicket haul in the Strikers’ past three games.

Part-time off spinner Matthew Renshaw also claimed the big wicket of captain Moises Henriques for 17 as the Sixers fell to 4-83 in the 13th over.

Dan Christian (22 off 17 balls) then combined with Avendano for a 63-run partnership – the Sixers highest fifth wicket stand of the tournament, as they posted 7-161 from their 20 overs.

Strikers captain Siddle increased his lead at the top of the BBL|11 wickets tally with 2-32 from his four overs.

The Strikers could slide to fifth if the Hobart Hurricanes win their final two games, while the Sixers are locked in a battle for second with crosstown rivals the Sydney Thunder with one game left to play against the Heat on Wednesday.