Strikers capitulate late as Scorchers catch fire out west

Veteran paceman Joel Paris has inspired a late fightback as the Perth Scorchers overcame an all-out spin assault to post a fighting 33-run BBL win over the Adelaide Strikers at Optus Stadium. 

South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (3-30) unleashed his trademark shoe celebration and Lloyd Pope (4-23) starred as the Strikers spun a web of magic in Perth to restrict the Scorchers to 8-153.

In reply, Adelaide were on track for victory at 1-48 and 4-86 before Paris (3-22 off four overs) sparked a big collapse.

Paris, who'd earlier also smacked a couple of sixes in a crucial 20no at the end of the Scorchers' knock, snared the scalp of Harry Manenti in the 13th over, but his biggest impact came in the 16th - the first over of the power surge.

With the Strikers needing 49 off 30 balls, Paris first had Jerrssis Wadia caught at mid-off before Luke Wood skyed a catch to point two balls later.

It meant Paris snared 2-6 in the first over of the surge, with Adelaide failing to recover as they were bowled out for 120 in 18.1 overs. 

Perth's third win on the trot improved their record to 4-2, while Adelaide slipped to 2-3.

The Scorchers were dealt a double injury blow after imports Finn Allen (finger) and Laurie Evans (hamstring) were ruled out.

Adelaide handed a BBL debut to 35-year-old South African Shamsi, and his impact was profound.

The wrist-spinner dismissed both Mitch Marsh (37 off 33) and Cooper Connolly (0) within the space of four balls in the 10th over to kick-start the Scorchers' downfall.

After Marsh holed out to long on, Shamsi took off his shoe and held it up like a telephone while pointing to a box in the crowd. It has become a trademark celebration for the South African.

Australian T20 star Tim David, who was on commentary duties in Perth after suffering a season-ending hamstring injury, took off his own shoe to answer Shamsi's 'call'. The pair were Saint Lucia Kings teammates last year in the Caribbean Premier League.

"We played in Saint Lucia together, and I met him before the game," Shamsi said.

"He's the one that said, 'Listen, I'm going to be up there. When you take a wicket, I need you to call me and I'm going to take my shoe off as well'.

"I suppose that's what the Big Bash is about – it's about entertainment."

Pope snared the scalp of Sam Fanning (31 off 24 balls) to reduce the Scorchers to 3-74 in the 11th over.

And the Scorchers were in a world of pain when Pope sent Joel Curtis and Aaron Hardie packing in the 13th over as Perth slumped to 5-87.

There was hope for the Scorchers in the 15th over when Ashton Turner struck Shamsi for 4, 4, 6 and 4 to start the power surge in the 15th over.

But when Shamsi got his revenge by having Turner sky a catch to mid-wicket and then Pope removed Nick Hobson, Perth could only limp to a sub-standard total.

Adelaide used spin from the fifth over until the last – and the tactic worked a treat.

The Strikers also employed a spin-heavy attack two years ago when they upset the Scorchers in a knockout final in BBL13.

Cooper Connolly snared the key scalp of Chris Lynn (1) in the first over, before the Strikers settled to move to 1-48.

Perth breathed life into the match when Ashton Turner removed Matt Short (31 off 21) and Jason Sangha (0) in the space of three balls, before Mackenzie Harvey chopped Ashton Agar on as the Strikers lost 3-0.

The Strikers steadied the ship after that triple blow, but they couldn't recover from the late onslaught from Paris.

KFC BBL|15 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	7	3	0	0	1.363	0	14
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	3	0	1	0.605	0	13
3 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	10	6	3	0	1	0.331	0	13
4 Melbourne Stars Men STA	10	6	4	0	0	0.759	0	12
5 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	5	5	0	0	-0.431	0	10
6 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	4	6	0	0	-0.231	0	8
7 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	3	7	0	0	-1.202	0	6
8 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	2	8	0	0	-1.212	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points