In the knockout match of the 13th season of BBL (BBL 223-24), Adelaide Strikers defeated Perth Scorchers by 50 runs. Playing first, Adelaide Strikers team scored 155/7 in 20 overs, in response to which Perth Scorchers team was all out after scoring 105 in 16.2 overs. Adelaide Strikers' Lloyd Pope (4/24) was named player of the match.
Perth Scorchers won the toss and chose to bowl first and the bowlers proved the decision correct. Adelaide Strikers had a bad start and opener Matthew Short scored 6 runs and was at 8 in the second over. The second opener and captain Matthew Short also did not last long and he was out after scoring 13 runs in 13 balls. Thomas Kelly and Harry Nielsen also returned to the pavilion after scoring 6 and 1 runs respectively. In this way the team lost the wickets of its four main batsmen within 50 runs.
However, Jake Weatherald held the lead from one end and he added 43 runs for the fifth wicket with Ben Manenti to take the score past 90. Weatherald scored a half-century and returned to the pavilion on the score of 91 after scoring 56 runs in 32 balls. Mananti contributed 23 runs. At the same time, Henry Thornton scored 28 not out and David Penn scored 14 not out, taking the score beyond 150. Captain Aaron Hardy and Cooper Connolly took two wickets each for Perth Scorchers.
Chasing the target, the pair of Sam Henning and Marcus Harris, who came to open for Perth Scorchers, made a partnership of 38 runs. Henning played an inning of 31 runs in 20 balls and was out in the fifth over. In the next over, Harris also continued on his personal score of 8. Sam Wightman and Aaron Hardy also returned to the pavilion after scoring 2 and 6 runs respectively. Josh Inglis added 22 runs with Cooper Connolly but was out as the fifth wicket at the score of 70 after scoring 12 runs.
From here the lower order batsmen were dismissed cheaply and then as the last wicket, Connolly was also out, who played an innings of 31 runs. In this way the innings was reduced to an over in the 17th over. For Perth Scorchers, Lloyd Pope took four wickets and Cameron Boyce took three wickets.
A challenger match will be played for a place in the final on January 22, in which Brisbane Heat will face Adelaide Strikers. In this match, the winning team will have to face Sydney Sixers in the final to win the title.
