SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – There was no glory for either Chris Gayle or Kieron Pollard, as both failed in a Big Bash League contest billed as the clash of the West Indies power hitters.
In the end, however, Pollard got the last laugh as his Adelaide Strikers romped to an emphatic 51-run victory over Sydney Thunder in a lopsided encounter at Stadium Australia.
Sent in, the Strikers tallied 177 for six off their 20 overs with experienced opener Michael Klinger top-scoring with 60.
Pollard, entering at 148 for two in the 17th over, smashed two fours and a six in scoring a rapid 16 off seven balls.
In one over from rookie 21-year-old seamer Chris Tremain, Pollard exploded to gather 14 runs from the last three deliveries of the right-armer’s final over which cost 19 runs.
He eventually holed out in the deep to Gayle in the final over of the innings, after mis-timing a stroke.
In reply, Sydney were bundled out for 126 off 18.4 overs, with the usually free-scoring Gayle managing just eight from 19 balls.
The left-hander was one of the first six wickets to fall for 64 runs as Sydney’s innings went into terminal decline from early.
Pollard, trundling his medium pace, took one wicket for 19 runs from three tight overs.
