Adelaide Strikers see off Sydney Thunder to keep Big Bash title hopes alive

Strikers will face Sydney Sixers on Wednesday for a place in the final against Perth Scorchers after overcoming Thunder

MCG: Adelaide Strikers 184-6, Sydney Thunder 178-6 - Adelaide Strikers win by six runs

Adelaide Strikers kept their Big Bash hopes alive with a dramatic knockout victory that ends Sydney Thunder's season.

Harry Conway successfully defended 14 runs in the final over, conceding just seven, after Ian Cockbain – a late overseas recruit plucked from Australian club cricket as a replacement for Rashid Khan – smashed 65 off just 38 balls to set up a fine win for Jason Gillespie's side.

Gillespie was aided by the availability of Ashes winners Travis Head and Alex Carey, though neither made decisive contributions with the bat.

Carey made 23, before Cockbain came together with Matt Short to add a 50-run stand in just 37 deliveries. Short fell lbw to Jason Sangha, but Cockbain carried on nonplussed, smashing an enormous six over the legside off the bowling of Nathan McAndrew and clearing the ropes on two other occasions in an innings that came to an end in the 16th over.

Head fell cheaply, clipping to deep square-leg, while there were useful cameos from Jono Wells, Matt Renshaw and Tom Kelly.

Only Tanveer Sangha maintained any real control, conceding just 15 runs in his four overs.

In reply, Thunder were always in touch – thanks mainly to Jason Sangha and Alex Ross, who added 90 in partnership and looked as though they might lead their team to a winner-takes-all clash with Sydney Sixers, with Perth Scorchers awaiting the victors in the final.

^{Harry Conway successfully defended 14 runs in the final over of the match (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)}

Openers Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja both fell inside the first seven overs. Khawaja's demise was controversial; Fawad Ahmed's catch was upheld on review even if it looked as though the ball had made contact with the grass.

The game turned again on Sangha's wicket; he holed out to Wells to hand Peter Siddle a wicket, before Daniel Sams was trapped by an impeccable Siddle yorker.

Ben Cutting's arrival coincided – not for the first time – with a couple of lusty blows, and Thunder – with Chris Green watching through his hands on the sidelines – came to need nine runs off the last three balls.

But Ross was brilliantly caught by Henry Thornton, somehow clinging on at short fine leg despite a miscommunication that saw Carey practically rugby-tackle his teammate simultaneously.

The game was not yet won, with Cutting on strike and nine needed from two balls. But he could only miscue a length ball to Cockbain at long-on, whose catch sealed the fate of Khawaja's men.