Thunder secure Big Bash Trophy
Sun 24 Jan 2016
Leicestershire duo Clint McKay and Andrew McDonald lifted the KFC Big Bash Trophy after Sydney Thunder secured an entertaining three-wicket win against Melbourne Stars.
It was a special day for the club as Sydney Thunder Women won the inaugural Women's Big Bash League earlier in the day - also by a three-wicket margin - against local rivals Sydney Sixers.
Kevin Pietersen scored 74 off 39 balls as the Stars, who were inserted at the MCG, put a competitive 176-9 on the board in the final.
McKay claimed another victim in the showpiece game and finished as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 18 at 15.22. McKay regularly bowled in the powerplay and at the death and maintained an economy rate of 8.09 runs per over.
Opener Usman Khawaja was again the key contributor for the Thunder in their chase by notching a superb 70 off 40 deliveries.
It tells you everything you need to know about the left-hander’s form that his lowest score in four KFC Big Bash innings was 62. Khawaja ended as the second leading runscorer in the competition, averaging an incredible 172.50 with an equally impressive strike rate of 163.50.
Everybody else chipped in as the Thunder got home with three balls to spare, the win being confirmed in style as Ben Rohrer cleared the fence.
Victory capped an exciting competition all round for the Thunder. They won the first three games, lost the next four, and then delivered three huge performances at the business end.
McDonald played an important role both on and off the field in the Thunder’s success, just as he did when Leicestershire Foxes won the T20 title for a third time in 2011. Leicestershire’s Elite Performance Director will be back at Grace Road in the near future as the club prepares for the new campaign.
McKay was the Foxes’ best bowler in NatWest T20 Blast last summer and the club is looking forward to welcoming the seamer back to Grace Road ahead of the 2016 season.
