Scorchers Dominate Thunder as Ashton Turner's 99 Powers Perth to Big Win
The Perth Scorchers produced a dominant all-round show to thrash Sydney Thunder by 71 runs in the 16th match of the Big Bash League at Sydney on December 30, 2025. A scintillating knock from captain Ashton Turner, backed by some tight bowling, made it a no-contest despite a solid start by the hosts.
Scorchers Back On Feet After Early Wobbles
The Perth Scorchers were put behind early after losing two wickets inside the mandatory Powerplay, managing just 20 runs in the first four overs. The sedate start saw the Scorchers crawl to 50 in 7.4 overs with just one extra, leaving them in need of momentum.
That momentum arrived through Ashton Turner and Cooper Connolly. At the drinks break, the Scorchers had rebuilt to 86/3 after 10 overs, with Turner looking increasingly fluent. The pair added a quick-fire 50-run stand in just 27 balls for the fourth wicket, pushing Perth past 100 in the 12th over.
Turner Unleashes Mayhem
A speeding Ashton Turner then went into unbelievable overdrive, reaching a half-century off mere 22 balls, slamming five fours and four sixes. His clean striking tore the Thunder bowling attack, even as wickets fell at the other end.
A crucial breakthrough came with the wicket of LJ Evans in the 14th over, off a Thunder review that was given. That didn't deter Turner, though, as he continued to pound the bowlers all over the park, with Aaron Hardie giving ample support to him. The sixth-wicket partnership ran up 50 in just 25 balls to take Perth past 150 in the 17th over.
The Scorchers surged to 200 in the final over, finishing on an imposing 202/8. Turner was heartbreakingly stranded on 99, falling just short of a deserved century, while a spectacular relay catch involving Sam Konstas and Matthew Gilkes ended the innings.
Thunder Start Bright but Collapse
Chasing 203, Sydney Thunder started on a positive note, reaching 36 runs in the Powerplay without losing a wicket. David Warner and Matthew Gilkes raised the team's fifty in less than six overs to give hope to the home crowd early in the game.
But the Scorchers' response came quickly. Warner's wicket led to a collapse - by the time the teams took drinks, Thunder had slumped to 81/3. A disastrous second Powerplay produced just 11 runs but accounted for two wickets, the latter of which - that of Arjun Nair - killed any hope of the chase.
It was despite reaching 100 in the 13th over that Thunder were never able to get out of the pressure imposed by the Scorchers' bowling. The wickets kept falling, and the innings folded up for 131 in 17.3 overs.
Thorough Scorchers Win
Perth Scorchers sealed a dominant 71-run victory to underline their batting depth and bowling discipline. Ashton Turner was the deserved Player of the Match for his sensational 99 off 41 balls-an innings that set the tone for one of the most emphatic wins of the season.
The result strengthens the Scorchers' position in the BBL standings, while Sydney Thunder are left searching for answers after a heavy home defeat.