Openers, Shadab fire Sydney Thunder to first win of the season

Sydney Thunder claimed their first win of the season with a 34-run victory over the Brisbane Heat. Fifties from openers Sam Konstas and Matthew Gilkes laid the platform for a competitive 193/4 before a four-wicket haul from Shadab Khan helped restrict the Heat to 159/6.

Asked to bat first, the Thunder made a brisk start, taking 17 runs off the second over bowled by Xavier Bartlett. Konstas and Gilkes brought up a fifty-run opening stand in the sixth over and raised the century partnership at the end of the tenth. Gilkes reached his fifty in the 11th over, with Konstas following suit off the very next delivery.

The Heat finally struck in the 14th over when Konstas holed out to deep mid-wicket off Jack Wildermuth, but the breakthrough brought little respite. Sam Billings, who walked in next, began at full throttle, racing to 25 off 11 balls before being dismissed by Kuhnemann at the start of the 17th over. Despite David Warner and Gilkes falling in quick succession, the Thunder pushed on to post 193/4 from their 20 overs.

In reply, Colin Munro began positively with two fours off Reece Topley in the opening over, but Nathan McAndrew followed it up with a maiden to Jack Wildermuth. While Wildermuth struck back in McAndrew's next over with three boundaries, the Heat were dealt a big blow in the fifth when Shadab Khan removed both openers.

Shadab was taken on in his next over, conceding three fours, as Matt Renshaw and Hugh Weibgen looked to steady the chase. Just as the partnership began to gather momentum, Shadab returned to dismiss Renshaw in the 13th over. The Heat slipped further when Daniel Sams accounted for Weibgen two overs later, before Shadab completed his four-wicket haul in the 16th. The target proved beyond reach despite late blows from Max Bryant and Jimmy Peirson.

Brief Scores: Sydney Thunder 193/4 in 20 overs (Matthew Gilkes 76, Sam Konstas 63; Jack Wildermuth 2-25) beat Brisbane Heat 159/6 in 20 overs (Matt Renshaw 43, Hugh Weibgen 30; Shadab Khan 4-24) by 34 runs.