Warner and Sydney Thunder stumble in a last-over finish

David Warner and Sydney Thunder just cannot catch a break. The veteran enjoyed a second successive big outing, but for the second time finished on the losing side. Warner followed his 130* vs Hobart Hurricanes with a 67* against Adelaide Strikers, but played out three dots in the final over of the chase and his team fell short. Thunder have now lost six of their seven games this season.

Luke Wood, tasked with defending 13 runs off the last six deliveries, did a fine job. He tied down Warner in the first half of the over with a low full-toss, a ball full and outside off, and another that Warner attempted to reverse scoop and missed. Wood nailed his yorker on the fourth, only conceding a single. Nathan McAndrew collected a four on the penultimate ball, but the Strikers finished with a six-run victory.

The chase was fuelled by Warner, though not as briskly as his 65-ball 130 two days prior. Chasing Adelaide Strikers' 165/8, Warner and Matthew Gilkes took the team to 47/0 after six overs. The stand was broken in the 10th over by Jamie Overton, with Gilkes falling for a 33-ball 43. In less than two overs, Thunder fell from 73/0 to 77/3. Warner and Nic Maddinson pushed the chase ahead with a 44-run stand. When Overton broke this partnership, Thunder stuttered at the start of the death overs despite Warner's half-century, setting up the tense final over.

Earlier, the Strikers' innings was fuelled by a 68-run stand between Jason Sangha and Mackenzie Harvey for the third wicket after openers Chris Lynn and Matthew Short were dismissed in the PowerPlay.

They stumbled through the middle once this partnership was breached but were picked up by a partnership between Liam Scott and Overton. From 115/4 in 15 overs, Strikers lost four more wickets in the death overs for the addition of just 40 runs—but it was enough on the day.

Brief Scores: Adelaide Strikers 165/8 in 20 overs (Liam Scott 49*, Mackenzie Harvey 38; Wes Agar 3-16, Nathan McAndrew 2-32) beat Sydney Thunder 159/7 in 20 overs (David Warner 67*, Matthew Gilkes 43; Jamie Overton 3-25, Lloyd Pope 2-37) by 6 runs