Warner hammers the final nail in the Stars' coffin and the Sydney Thunder's fairy tale run goes on! From being bottom of the lot last season, to finishing third in the league stages to now being one game away from the title clash - this has been a renaissance and some, and one that the thousands at the venue will cherish for a long, long time! Coming back to the ball. This is on a length, asking Warren if he wants to take on the challenge of the lofted inside-out shot. He says yes but does not get the sort of connection that would have made that venture fruitful. Splices it tamely and Warner was not dropping that in a million years. Smiles, handshakes and embraces in the Thunder camp. They know how much this means and they now know how close they are to winning the entire thing, all over again!
Thunder vs Stars, Knockout at Sydney, BBL, Jan 22 2025 - Match Result
Thunder won by 21 runs (DLS method)
11:12pm And...breathe. A dramatic game that ebbed and flowed, and ended with the Thunder trumping the Stars. The job is not done for them, though, and they now have their eyes set on a Sydney Smash a couple of days from now, which will also confirm who faces the Hobart Hurricanes in the final. We hope to have your company for that game too, and until then, this is goodbye from Chandan and myself. Take care, folks!
Sowmya : "Take a bow Nathan McAndrew ! 5 wicket hauls in T20s are rarer than T20 hundreds! That you delivered the KO punch on the stars made it even more special "
Nathan McAndrew, Player of the Match: Bit of a bowler-friendly wicket out there. (Stars) Had a couple of quality batters, Maxwell and Stoinis were looking dangerous. We held our nerve, spinners bowled beautifully. It was so loud we could not hear the nick (of Handscomb). Awesome atmosphere. They (the fans) have been behind us for a number of years. We have played finals cricket but have not had many at home. We love playing here and the atmosphere this year has been unbelievable. We knew it was defendable. Some of the wickets were pretty crucial with a small total. The powerplay was going to be a dangerous period, it gets harder after that. we knew if we got a couple of early wickets, we would be in it. Once we got Maxi, that sort of went a long way (to completely killing the game). He (Warner) has been unbelievable. He has been so invested, he has been loving his time. We, as a group, owe it to give it back to him and hopefully we can do so.
11:05pm Would 135 be enough? Did the Sydney Thunder have enough of a bowling arsenal to tie down the Stars' firepower? Well, they did, and they had plenty left in the tank. A 21-run win, in a game where the team batting first scored 135, tells a story in itself, and is a glowing assessment of just how well the hosts bowled. McAndrew was the star of the show, bagging a five-for, en route the best-ever figures by an ST bowler in the BBL. The spinners, at times, were unplayable too and whenever the Stars started amping up the pressure, the Thunder found a way to strike back.
Speaking of the Stars, they felt too reliant on Maxwell and Stoinis. While the two were out there, it seemed the total was within grasp, despite Stoinis struggling. Their captain then fell and that was followed by a flurry of wickets, which made the lower order's task very tough. Cartwright, Steketee and Warren gave it a rattle but in the end, it was not enough.
zipped in full on leg stump. Warren has a swish at it and gets a thick outside edge that bobbles towards short third
length ball just outside off. Siddle backs away and throws his hands at it, edging it down to deep third to get off the mark
Siddle is the last man in
straight to extra cover, and Warner hauls the ball into the air in celebration! Goes for the wide yorker and even though he does not nail it, he gets it beyond Steketee's arc. He goes after it because he has no chance but cannot generate the power he desires. Straight to Warner and the Thunder move closer to a massive win!
back of a length outside off. Warren drops it to the bowler's right and calls his partner through. McAndrew did well to gather on his follow through but could not hit the stumps
fullish, pitching on off and nipping away with the angle. Warren goes nibbling at it and sees the ball sneak past the outside edge
The last two overs have kept the Stars in touch. 24 needed off 12
shortish and spinning towards the stumps. Steketee gives himself swinging room and heaves it past mid wicket. Garton scurries to his left on the fence, puts in the dive and saves two
pick the bones out of this one! Green makes the cardinal sin of bowling into the slot on off. Steketee lines it up, uses his long levers and mooses it over long on!
shorter outside off and Steketee has another pop at it without really watching the ball. The bat and the ball ends up in different postcodes
proper off-spinner this time, pitching outside off and spinning back a mile. Steketee, who advances, can only get his pad in the way
slower on a length outside off and this seems to be the ball that goes away from the batter. Steketee swings at it with all his might and only swats away a few flies
shortish on the stumps. Warren backs away and cuts it fiercely past backward point. Just a single, though
off-pace on a back of a length on off. Warren picks it up and smashes it on the bounce to deep mid wicket
four more! Not the most convincing of strokes. Length in the channel and Warren, feeling for it, gets a thick outside edge that races away past short third!
back of a length just outside off. Steketee has a huge swipe at it and toe-ends it towards long on. He will need some chalk after that one
safe! Full toss on middle and leg. Steketee swings like a rusty gate and cloths it terribly. Somehow, though, the ball lands right between the bowler, deep mid wicket and long on, all of whom were converging on it
slower ball on a length outside off. Steketee tries to smash that into the ocean and misses the ball by a fair margin
Steketee lays into this and clears the fence! Dug into the track in and around off. That gives Steketee the swinging room he wants and he wallops it over wide long on!
Garton returns. Around the wicket
slower ball on a length on middle and leg. Warren presses forward and pokes it towards backward point
Warren is the new batter in
in the air, in the air and taken! Is that the game? Is that the season for the Stars?! Banged in again and following Cartwright outside leg. He looks to help it away but the inward angle makes that untenable. He gets a top edge and deep backward square leg circles around to snaffle up the chance. Perhaps the moment that decides this contest!
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W |
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
| Sydney Showground Stadium | |
| Toss | Melbourne Stars, elected to field first |
| Series | |
| Season | 2024/25 |
| Player Of The Match | |
| Series result | Sydney Thunder advanced |
| Hours of play (local time) | 19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50 |
| Match days | 22 January 2025 - night (20-over match) |
| Umpires | |
| TV Umpire | |
| Reserve Umpire | |
| Match Referee | |
Over 18 • MS 114/10
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