Thunder complete double over table-topping Perth

Sydney Thunder paceman Gurinder Sandhu snared the third hat-trick of his professional career and just the seventh in KFC BBL history as his side again defeated the Perth Scorchers in BBL|11.

The Scorchers remain six points clear at the top of the ladder, and their only two defeats this summer have come at the hands of the Thunder, who now sit joint second after a six-wicket win on the Gold Coast.

In an innings reduced to 18 overs due to an early rain delay in Thursday's match, Sandhu snared 4-22 to put the Thunder in the box seat for victory, restricting Perth to 9-133.

BBL|11 Standings
As at January 7, 2022

Under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, the Thunder required 135 for victory.

Matthew Gilkes made the early running with Alex Hales struggling for consistency in his return after a COVID-related absence.

Jason Sangha's two mighty sixes in his 26-ball 34 showed why he is one of the breakout stars of BBL|11, and when he fell he was replaced by another up-and-coming star in Ollie Davies who promptly hit two sixes of his won before being brilliantly run out by a diving Andrew Tye in his follow through four short of the target.

Sam Billings finished the game with a straight four to end with an unbeaten 19 from 11 balls.

Billings, Perth's Tymal Mills (0-21 from three overs) and Thunder quick Saqib Mahmood will tomorrow return to the UK ahead of the England's T20 tour of the Caribbean.

Thunder's Pakistan recruit Mohammad Hasnain was prevented from playing in this match due to Queensland's border restrictions.

In November, Sandhu became the first Australian to pick up two List-A hat-tricks.

His first came while playing for Tasmania against Victoria in the Marsh Cup final in 2018, and he repeated the heroics while playing for Queensland in a 50-over match against South Australia in November.

The 28-year-old now has a BBL hat-trick to his name after snaring Scorchers trio Colin Munro (18 off 20 balls), Aaron Hardie (4), and Laurie Evans (20) in consecutive deliveries.

Sandhu didn't realise he had taken a hat-trick until after the Scorchers had batted. 

"I had absolutely no idea, which is kind of a good thing because then maybe I would have tried too hard on that ball or changed up what I was doing," Sandhu told AAP.

"As I walked off, I chatted to Erin Holland from Channel 7 and she said, 'Well done, the first Sydney Thunder player to get a hat-trick'. 

"I actually thought in my mind that she stuffed up, but I was the one who had it wrong.

"I was surprised, because I had no idea. I've already had one this year, so I was like, 'there's no chance anybody can get two in a year, let alone in a career'.

"It's pretty cool. It's something when I finish playing I'll look back on and go, 'wow'."

Munro was the first to fall in the latest hat-trick on the last ball of the 12th over when he struck Sandhu straight to cover. 

Then, as Sandhu returned to the attack in the 16th over, Hardie immediately holed out in the deep, before Evans skied one high for an easy catch.

Ashton Agar (22 off 10 balls), who managed to ensure Sandhu didn't make it four wickets from four balls, proved the only Scorchers player to strike the ball with any real consistency.

Thunder spinner Chris Green (1-9 off two overs) combined brilliantly with Sandhu to keep the Scorchers' run rate down.