SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Sydney Thunder, with West Indians Chris Gayle and Fidel Edwards in their side, lost by 17 runs on the Duckworth /Lewis Method in a rain-affected game against cross-town rivals Sydney Sixers at Stadium Australia yesterday.
Gayle, the former Jamaica and West Indies captain, failed to score after taking one wicket for 18 runs off three overs while Barbadian fast bowler Edwards also picked up just one wicket for 21 runs of four overs despite an impressive spell with the new ball.
After the Sixers scored 117 for seven off 16 overs, Thunder were rocked by a lethal spell of swing bowling from Mitchell Starc.
Starc, who has been added to the Australian Test squad for Perth this week against India, showed why he’s rated so highly, by destroying the top order, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick on his way to three for 17.
Brett Lee bowled brilliantly in tandem with Starc, the veteran pacer claiming the vital wicket of Gayle, who faced six balls.
With five overs required to constitute a match, the early stages of Thunder’s chase was always going to be vital and the par score was well above the 29 for four off 5.3 overs they finished on when the match was called off.
Earlier, Edwards used the moist conditions to his advantage, swinging and seaming his way through a dangerous four-over spell to start the match. The Sixers middle order then collapsed, losing four wickets for six runs in the space of just two overs, including a rare diamond duck to Dominic Thornely.
Ben Rohrer led a lower order fightback, smashing four boundaries and a six before the allrounder Sean Abbott claimed him for 38 (off 24 balls). Edwards was the most economical of the bowlers.
The Sixers move into the top four with a key away clash against the Adelaide Strikers tomorrow to determine their finals’ fate. The Thunders host Perth Scorchers on Wednesday in a must-win game if they are to make the finals.