Test century for Travis, Rashid & Salt flying high with Strikers in Big Bash, plus Jordan, Archer & Bopara all in action

Sussex’s overseas signing for the entirety of the 2020 season Travis Head was named man of the match in Australia’s Boxing Day Test victory against New Zealand at the MCG. The South Australian scored the second century (114) of his Test career as the hosts racked up 467 all out in their first innings. After New Zealand were bundled out for just 148 in reply, Australia declared their second innings on 168 for 5. Travis scored 28 as the visitors were set an imposing 488 for victory. They managed 240 all out to hand a 247-run win and an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three match series to Travis and his teammates. The final Test gets underway in Sydney on Thursday.

Also in international action last week was Jofra Archer. The paceman took 1 for 65 as South Africa were bowled out for 284 having been asked to bat first at Centurion before scoring three from number nine as England conceded a 103-run first innings deficit. There was a third Test five-wicket haul for Jofra (5 for 102) in South Africa’s second innings of 272, but he ended up on the losing side as England succumbed to 268 all out and went one-nil down in the four-match series. Jofra made four in his side’s second innings. 

It was a @rashidkhan_19 masterclass at the MCG, too... 🇦🇫

Figures of 2-15 off four overs and the Player of the Match award! 🙌pic.twitter.com/bGJ8zsygv6

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) December 29, 2019

Back in Australia, the men’s Big Bash League continued apace with three Sussex Sharks involved in matches last week. Phil Salt recorded his first fifty of the tournament on Sunday, smashing 54 from just 26 balls with seven fours and a six as his Adelaide Strikers side beat Melbourne Renegades by 18 runs to go top of the table. Phil’s teammate Rashid Khan was named man of the match, however, for his sensational bowling figures of 2 for 15 which followed a 16-ball, 25-run cameo with the bat.

Both men were involved in two other wins earlier in the week. On Friday, the Strikers edged out Melbourne Stars by five runs at Carrara. Phil scored 14 off ten balls and Rashid an unbeaten six from two deliveries during the Strikers’ innings of 174 for 4, before Rashid’s 1 for 23 and another fine catch for Phil restricted the Stars to 169 for 6.

On Monday, Adelaide had overcome Perth Scorchers by 15 runs in a match reduced to 18 overs per side. Phil was dismissed for two as the Strikers amassed 198 for 4 bating first, but he contributed with three catches as Rashid took 3 for 40 and the Scorchers were kept to 183 for 7 to give the Strikers their first of three wins last week. Jason Gillespie’s men will be looking to continue that winning run in matches this week against Sydney Thunder at Adelaide Oval on New Year’s Eve and Sydney Sixers at Coffs Harbour on Sunday.

Chris Jordan was part of the Scorchers side in that match. His four overs cost 48 runs and he made an unbeaten 10 from nine balls during his team’s unsuccessful chase.

The England all-rounder had a better night on a personal level on Boxing Day, but couldn’t stop his team falling to a 48-run defeat against Sydney Sixers. CJ was the pick of the Scorchers’ bowlers with 3 for 29 from his four overs as the Sixers made 174 for 7 from their 20 overs at Perth Stadium. The home team fell well short of their target, however, being dismissed for 126 with CJ hitting a run-a-ball six.  After four matches, Perth are seventh in the table with just one win so far. They’ll be looking for a charge up the table this week with matches scheduled against Brisbane Heat at Carrara on New Year’s Day and Hobart Hurricanes back in Perth on Sunday.

While Laurie Evans returned home from the Bangladesh Premier League ahead of Christmas, Ravi Bopara was in action in the tournament last week, playing three further matches for Rajshahi Royals. The first of those was a seven-wicket win over Khulna Tigers on Monday. Ravi picked up 2 for 20 in three overs as the Tigers were restricted to 145 for 9, before the all-rounder hit the winning runs in the 18th over of his side’s chase to finish with an unbeaten 13 from eight balls from number five.

The Royals won again on Christmas Eve, this time beating Cumilla Warriors by seven wickets. Ravi was tidy again with the ball, picking up one for 19 as one of nine bowlers used during the Warriors’ innings of 170 for 8. He then pummelled 41 from 23 balls to ensure Rajshahi coasted to a three-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare.

The Royals made it a hat-trick of wins last week when they took on Cumilla for the second time in five days on Saturday. Ravi made ten of Rajshahi’s score of 190 for 4, before bowling three overs for 16 runs as the team won by 15 runs. At the half-way point of their group schedule, the Royals are well-placed with five wins and a solitary defeat from their six games. Only Chattogram Challengers – who have played two extra games – sit above them in the table.

Luke Wells has some time off from Australian club cricket as the Victorian Premier competition paused for its Christmas break. The next round of fixtures is scheduled for Saturday 11th January.