Steve Smith brings up maiden BBL hundred with huge six against Adelaide Strikers
Steve Smith finished with 101 off 56.
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Jan 17, 2023 6:50 pm
Steve Smith (Source: Twitter)
Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers squared off at the International Sports Stadium. The Strikers won the toss and chose to bowl. The Sixers suffered an early jolt with Josh Philippe dismissed by Matt Short for just 1 off 3 balls.Steve Smith however made most of the reprieves early on as he survived a close run-out and also a bowled dismissal when the bails did not dislodge.
From then on, there was no looking back as the former Australian captain made the most of the missed opportunities and scored a century against the Strikers. This was his maiden hundred in the history of the Big Bash League. It was also the first hundred that was scored by any player from the sixers in the history of the BBL. He scored runs all around the wicket and sent the Strikers bowlers on a leather hunt. He got to his hundred in the last ball of the 15th over. He hit a six off Ben Manenti the spinner via a slog sweep that went over deep backward square leg.
The moment he got to his hundred, the stadium gave him a standing ovation as he took off his helmet to celebrate the landmark. Kurtis Patterson played a measured innings off 43 off 33 balls with three fours and one six. Jordan Silk played a cameo of 31 off 16 balls with three fours and one six. Daniel Christian made 15 off 8 balls with one six. This helped the sixers to reach a mammoth total of 203-5 in their 20 overs. Wes Agar was the pick of the bowlers for the Strikers as he picked up 2-48 in his four overs.
In reply, the Strikersare 107-5 at the time of writing in 12.4 overs. Travis Head was dismissed early by Ben Dwarshuis for just 5 off 4 balls with just one four. Mathew Short provided some fireworks at the other end as he made a quickfire 40 off 24 with three fours and three sixes. His innings came to an end when he was caught by Curtis Patterson off Todd Murphy’s bowling.
Alex Carey is unbeaten on 50 off 32 with three fours and one six. The Strikers further lost the wickets of Adam Hose, Colin deGrandhomme and Thomas Kelly. Ben Manenti is batting on three runs off three balls.
