Usmania thunders Sydney to huge win

The match in a tweet: Strikers get Thunder struck! Hussey's heroes head to big dance thanks to Khawaja's imperious ton and a polished bowling display #BBLFinal

Watch: Usman's BBL classic

The hero: Australia's selectors might be thinking they've missed a trick in leaving Usman Khawaja out of their Twenty20 squad, such is the form this man is in. A golden summer continued at Adelaide tonight with perhaps his most magnificent effort yet, Khawaja finding the middle of his bat with such regularity and such apparent ease as to make him look a class above just about every other batsman in the tournament. He took just 55 balls to reach his century, finishing unbeaten with 104 from 59 balls. Without him, the run chase of 160 – against a quality Strikers attack – would have been difficult to negotiate. With him, it was a breeze - the Thunder got there with eight wickets and 14 balls to spare. 

The catch: Who else but Andre Russell? The big Jamaican was a 400-metre runner in his younger years and showed a serious turn of foot to make this look much easier than it was. 

Watch: Russell's ridiculous catch

The victim: The Strikers. All of them. Victims of their own poor performance on the big stage – for the second year running – and victims of Khawaja's brilliance. After seven wins from eight in the regular season (ironically, their only defeat came to the Thunder), the Strikers have again come unstuck at the final hurdle. Had it not been for some late hitting from Michael Neser and Adil Rashid, the result would have been much more lopsided. With two sound beatings on their home turf from two semi-finals, there will doubtless be whispers that the Strikers are following a worryingly Stars-like trend in knockout matches.  

The turning point: Given the unbelievable form of Khawaja, Jake Lehmann's dropped catch when the Thunder opener was on 26 could well have been a decisive moment in the contest. Khawaja went on to dominate the Strikers attack, posting almost two-thirds of the required runs on his own. 

Watch: Lehmann's let-off for Usman

The support cast: Clint McKay hasn't played for Australia in almost two years but he led the Thunder's polished all-round bowling display tonight. While he leaked runs at the death, he conceded just nine runs from his first two overs and took the key wickets of Tim Ludeman and Travis Head in the process.

Watch: Ross rockets Strikers to competitive total

The consolation effort: Alex Ross has had a hit and miss tournament but the 'Sweepologist' saved face for the Strikers with a strong 47 from 38 balls. He was joined in a rearguard action by Michael Neser (27 from 16), before Adil Rashid came to the crease with three balls remaining, hitting 4, 4, 6 to close the innings.

The stat: Khawaja reached fifty quicker than any Thunder batsman ever, his 24-ball effort beating Chris Gayle and David Warner by a single delivery.

The wicket: What about this slower ball from McKay to remove a well-set Ross? Class.

Watch: McKay's marvellous slower ball

The questionable call: Mike Hussey can consider himself unlucky for being given on this one. Luckily, it mattered little. 

Watch: Hussey's horror call

The wash-up: Zeroes to heroes! It's taken a full two seasons, but we can safely say the Thunder have now emphatically turned their fortunes around. The whipping boys of the Big Bash for the first three seasons of the competition, last summer was a transition period and now, after five summers of trying, they've landed in the Big Bash final. Mr Cricket will be all set for a thrilling farewell. For the Strikers, under captain Brad Hodge and coach Jason Gillespie, it's a case of what could have been. So strong and consistent through the duration of the regular season, they were strangely flat when it mattered, disappointing the 48,699-strong crowd who turned out to see them progress through to the final.

Watch: Guns get the runs: Khawaja