Fifteen all out in 35 balls!
Sydney Thunder crumbled in remarkable style in Friday’s Big Bash match against Adelaide Strikers as they recorded the lowest score ever seen in a men’s professional T20 cricket match.
Thunder’s capitulation was worse than the 21 Turkey had been rolled for by Czech Republic in 2019 as they folded in staggering fashion having been set 140 to win by Strikers, losing the game by 124 runs.
Five Thunder batters, including England’s Alex Hales, were dismissed for ducks as Henry Thornton bagged 5-3 from 2.5 overs and fellow Strikers bowler Wes Agar picked up 4-6 from two.
‘They nicked everything, we caught everything!’
Nine of the Thunder batters to be dismissed were caught – five of them by wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen – with South Africa international Rilee Rossouw falling to a superb one-handed grab at slip from Matthew Short.
Thunder’s top-scorer was No. 10 batter Brendan Doggett (4) as his side lasted just 5.5 overs and completely obliterated the previous lowest total in the Big Bash League, which was the 57 Melbourne Renegades had collapsed to against city rivals Stars in January 2015.
Thornton, who was also celebrating his 26th birthday, said: “Even in the backyard, they are my best figures! I don’t think we can believe it. They nicked everything and we caught everything. It was amazing.
“It was a great all-round performance and it’s a great feeling. They have got some really good players, so for us to do that is incredible. We were running around like, ‘what is going on!?'”
Appalling, embarrassing – pundits react to Thunder’s capitulation
Speaking to Fox Cricket, former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee said: “I am speechless. I haven’t seen a performance like that. It’s appalling when you think about it.”
Lee’s former Australia team-mater Brad Haddin added: “We have seen some aggressive fast bowling, some unbelievable catching and a Strikers team that is really enjoying their cricket but for Thunder to be bowled out for 15 is embarrassing.
“[Thunder coach] Trevor Bayliss is a very experienced coach, the perfect coach for Thunder to have right now. There is no point throwing chairs.
“All you have to do is move on and hope that in the next game they can get on with it. I wouldn’t debrief this. I’d have a beer and not even talk about it.”
Strikers had made 139-9 from their 20 overs.