Michael Roberts
I was privileged to witness a striking win by the ADELAIDE STRIKERS at Adelaide Oval on the 5th of January 2023, where the Australian world witnessed the highest ever run chase in its BBL history. The Hobart Hurricanes had batted first and muscled a massive total: all of 229 runs. When the 19th over commenced with Nathan Ellis given the ball, The Strikers needed 25 more runs then and at the 20th with Faheem Ashraf given the ball they needed 11 runs to tie and 12 to win. 
Matthew Short Celebrates winning hit
At that point I thought to myself: ahaa, bad choice of bowler: Ashraf is all over the shop; Tim David would be a better bet for skipper Wade. Sure enough: consider what transpired
- First ball = no ball to Grandhomme
- Over height no ball to Grandhomme ..meaning another extra ball and free hit …yielding one run
- The first legit/ball yields Matt Short two runs
- Next ball is a “juicy full toss” which Short ramps for four runs
Only four runs need now and Matt Short, who has been captaining the side instead of Siddle and opened the batting. is well set on 96 runs: déjà vu, then, as Short hit a boundary to finalize a truly magnificent victory.
Matt Short secures the Man of the Match Award; but it was, as in most cricket contests, a triumph secured by the whole Eleven and particularly by Rashiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid Khan whose bowling figures read: 04 overs, 25 runs and no wickets – the only one beside Patrick Dooley on the Hurricanes side to secure less than 30 runs in four overs.
A lesson here surely: both Khan and Dooley are spinners.
SOME AMATEUR SHOTS of a pleased Adelaide Crowd at the end of the match with Chris Lynn & Harry Conway among the players signing autographs and chatting to locals who had stayed on.
Very exciting game to the very end.
There was another high-scoring and exciting T20 game at Pune where Sri Lanka scored over 200 runs and did well to restrict a young Indian side to something around 195 runs.