An amazing Chris Gayle century has led the Sydney Thunder to a six-wicket win against the Adelaide Strikers at ANZ Stadium on Friday.
The Thunder notched their second consecutive KFC T20 Big Bash League win thanks to Gayle's 100 not out which featured an unbelievable 11 sixes, the most in Australian domestic Twenty20 history.
Gayle was always going to love the short boundaries down the ground at Homebush but the West Indian made a mockery of the Strikers bowling attack with his 54-ball knock.
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After winning the toss and electing to bat, Adelaide lost early wickets, but they recovered to 8-155 from their 20 overs thanks to Johan Botha's gritty 41.
It mattered little in response though as Gayle gave the small crowd of 11,337 a night they will never forget as the Thunder reached their target with nine balls to spare.
Sydney made a slow start to their run chase and Daniel Smith (six) was bowled by Aaron O'Brien (3-26) with the first ball of the fourth over.
That brought Usman Khawaja (15) to the wicket though and he had one of the best seats in the house as Gayle begun his mission by launching four sixes and two fours in the next five overs.
Khawaja became another O'Brien victim when he danced down the wicket and was stumped, but Gayle was the man Adelaide needed and he belted another two sixes from Bryce McGain (0-21) only moments later.
Ben Dunk (eight) chipped in with a maximum of his own before Cameron Borgas caught him superbly at mid-off and Craig Philipson (two) then missed a straight one from O'Brien, giving the Strikers hope.
But just when Adelaide were back in the game, Gayle took it away from them as he finished the 15th over with another clean hit for six to reduce the deficit to 47 runs with 30 balls remaining.
Jason Floros (17 not out) added two fours in the next over before part-timer Borgas was belted for three successive sixes by Gayle who was simply unstoppable.
He made it four sixes in six deliveries when he flicked Thomas for another big hit through the on-side before he turned the ball onto the leg-side for a single that brought up his fifth Twenty20 century.
And moments later Floros hit Botha for his third boundary to bring the match to an end.
Earlier, Adelaide made an impressive start with Daniel Harris (19) and Aiden Blizzard (20) hitting well after Michael Klinger's early departure for six.
But when Blizzard skied the ball to Floros off the bowling of Scott Coyte, the Thunder seized the initative.
In the next over Fidel Edwards (2-35) had Harris caught at mid-wicket and Callum Ferguson (two) was next to go as he picked out Coyte on the boundary.
Adelaide had lost 3-5 and at 4-52 were in trouble but Botha (41) and Borgas (24) made a slow and steady 49-run partnership that steadied the ship and, after a while, they lifted the tempo.
Unfortunately for Adelaide as soon as they did that, Borgas went out as Floros took his third catch of the match but Adam Crosthwaite (18) lifted the run-rate before Botha's vital innings came to an end as Edwards grabbed his second scalp of the night.
Kane Richardson (11) and O'Brien (six not out) combined for some crucial runs as Adelaide crept to 155, which was a fantastic result given the precarious position they were in earlier in their innings.
