Younger gun stars as Scorchers begin BBL15 in fashion with resounding win over Sixers
The Perth Scorchers have begun the fifteenth season of the Massive Bash League in fashion, with a fast half-century from Cooper Connolly powering a five-wicket win.
After a uncommon finals miss within the 2024/25 season, participant of the match Connolly’s 31-ball 59, together with 5 thunderous sixes, noticed the five-time champions start with a win after a sudden Perth downpour threatened to show the season opener into a moist squib.
Play was delayed by the storm for over an hour, lowering the sport to 11 overs a facet, with the Sixers’ complete of 5/113 regardless of a nightmare begin proving not sufficient after being despatched in by the Scorchers.
NSW Sheffield Defend captain Jack Edwards virtually single-handedly made the whole respectable with a 21-ball 46 after Daniel Hughes (0) and star recruit Babar Azam (2) fell within the opening overs to the Scorchers’ tempo bowling brigade.
An unlucky run out for captain Moises Henriques when a Josh Philippe drive brushed Ashton Agar’s fingers en path to the non-striker’s stumps summed issues up for the guests, with Brody Sofa (2/12) the decide of the bowlers for the hosts.
In reply, Scorchers star and Australian T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh fell for a duck after edging Charlie Stobo to Babar at slip off the third ball of the innings.
However 22-year previous Connolly dazzled round cameos from Finn Allen (16 off eight balls), Aaron Hardie (13 off seven) and captain Ashton Turner (16 not out off 9) helped run down the whole with 5 balls to spare.
Making brief work of Optus Stadium’s brief straight boundaries, Connolly solely fell with the top in sight; however having tasted worldwide cricket in all codecs during the last 18 months, larger honours look set to come back once more for the Western Australian all-rounder.
