An inspirational spell of bowling from returning veteran spinner Brad Hogg helped the Perth Scorchers defeat the previously unbeaten Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League at Adelaide Oval last night.
The 43-year-old Hogg, who was back in the team after missing the start of the season through injury, took 2-11 from his four overs and completely bamboozled the Strikers batsmen.
He was well supported by fellow spinner Ashton Agar who had been released from Australia's Sydney Test squad to take up his spot with the Scorchers. Agar, who is 22 years younger than Hogg, also took two wickets including the vital scalps of opener Craig Simmons and Strikers captain Johan Botha.
Earlier in the day the Scorchers were sent in to bat by the Strikers and found scoring early on very difficult. They were only able to hit two boundaries in the first six overs and finished the Powerplay on just 1-27 - an equal record low runs total for this year's Big Bash League.
Things didn't improve for the Scorchers with Michael Carberry looking particularly uncomfortable as he made just 11 runs from 17 balls.
Two wickets in Adam Zampa's first over had the Scorchers reeling at 3-44 and they soon slumped to 5-75 after Ashton Agar and Sam Whiteman were dismissed for a duck and 2 respectively.
However, with their in-form captain Adam Voges at the crease Perth weren't out of the match just yet and a superb counter-attacking half century from him and some late hitting from Yasir Arafat saved the Scorchers blushes as they finished on a modest 133.
This didn't appear nearly enough on what looked a good wicket for batting and when the Scorchers openers Tim Ludeman and Craig Simmons reached 0-38 from the first six overs the match looked almost over.
But, then the Scorchers main pace bowler Jason Behrendorff struck to remove the in-form Ludeman for 22 which gave them a glimmer of hope.
After this over the Scorchers turned to their spin duo in Agar and Hogg who delivered in the best way possible.
Hogg's first over yielded just two runs with Jono Dean struggling to pick his deliveries and the pressure told in the very next over as Craig Simmons charged down the wicket and missed a delivery from Agar.
Scorchers keeper Sam Whiteman fumbled the ball but Simmons was so far out of his crease that it didn't matter as he was finally able to whip the bails off. Although, Simmons almost thought he had a reprieve when the third umpire accidentally hit the wrong button and gave him not out.
And, then in Hogg's third over the Strikers innings really started to unravel. First Travis Head missed a tossed up delivery and became Whiteman's second stumping victim of the match and then the very next ball Alex Ross was run out for a first ball duck.
Ross produced a reverse sweep first ball where he hit Hogg straight to backward point. He then took off for a non-existent single before turning back halfway down the pitch to see himself run out well clear of his ground.
And, then in Hogg's final over he claimed the key wicket of Ryan ten Doeschate for four and the Strikers were in trouble at 6-79.
A quicker delivery from Agar shattered Johan Botha's stumps a few overs later and then Yasir Arafat and Andrew Tye cleaned up the tail as the Strikers slumped to be all out for 115, 18 runs shy of Perth's total.
The Scorchers win saw them jump up to second place on the ladder with three games remaining in the competition before the finals.
