Big Bash League 2014/15: Michael Carberry fifty can't save Scorchers

Michael Carberry’s maiden Big Bash League fifty proved in vain as Perth Scorchers slipped to a 20-run defeat to the Sydney Thunder at the WACA.

The Hampshire opener smote 69no off 48 balls as the defending champions rallied from 41-4 to 159-5 but still fell well short of the Thunders’ tally of 179-3, which featured 70 from Jacques Kallis and 16no off 12 balls from England’s new one-day captain Eoin Morgan.

The Thunder, who chose to bat first as they sought to avoid a third successive loss, lost Andrew McDonald cheaply when he skied Jason Behrendorff to midwicket but Kallis – strong either side of the wicket as well as down the ground - was quickly into his stride.

The imperious South African put on 74 in 8.3 overs with Aiden Blizzard, who blasted a couple of boundaries off Matt Dixon’s second over on his way to 47 off 31 balls before clunking Andrew Tye to mid-off.

Kallis brought up his fifty off 40 balls and pushed on before picking out long on as he attempted to add to his boundary tally of nine fours and two sixes from 70 balls.

His downfall made it 138-3 and brought Morgan to the crease with just four overs of the innings left, a cut four off Behrendorff and another boundary down the ground off Yasir Arafat the highlights of his short time at the crease.

Mike Hussey (36no off 21) kept the momentum up through to the end of the innings as 48 runs came off the last five overs to ensure that the Scorchers would have to chase an above-par target of 180 to continue their recent upturn in form.

The Scorchers, who had never lost to the Thunder in their three previous BBL meetings, made a poor start to their chase when the dangerous Michael Klinger was bowled through the gate by a Nathan Hauritz delivery from around the wicket that straightened.

Fellow opener Marcus Harris followed soon after, bowled by Josh Lalor as he aimed a huge heave over midwicket and the home side’s plight worsened when Kallis, who bowled 10 dot balls in his opening two overs, turned the screw by picking up the wickets of skipper Adam Voges and Ashton Turner in quick succession.

Hauritz spilled a simple chance offered by Sam Whiteman (16) in the deep when he had just five and paid the price when the batsman launched him for a huge straight six, but the spinner earned quick revenge by taking the pace off his next delivery – Chris Hartley effecting a simple stumping.

Carberry initially struggled to find his timing but kept the score ticking over, a top-edged pull for six off Pat Cummins helping him to post a 39-ball fifty.

Ashton Agar (31no off 27) enjoyed a life on four when he swung Kallis out to the midwicket rope, the ball bursting through Morgan’s hands to go for six.

But the run-rate was always against the Scorchers and the Thunder duly chalked up only their second victory in a Big Bash tournament.

Owais Shah, the seventh leading run-scorer of all time in T20 matches, told Sky Sports that Carberry will gain a great deal of confidence from his innings.

“It takes a bit of time to work out how to play at the WACA but I think he’s just about to make that turn and hopefully put in some good performances for the Scorchers,” said Shah.

“It was just a shame that no-one created a partnership with Carberry. If they had I think they would have definitely ran the game a lot closer than it was.”

Watch Alex Hales and Andrew Flintoff in action on Friday when the Hobart Hurricanes take on the Bris