BBL round-up: Richardson’s rockets, Thunder’s turnaround and Brown’s boshing

Stoinis’ fireworks display
Marcus Stoinis closed out the year with a bang to emerge from a lean start to the tournament. He had Covid during the opening game and had collected 0, 0, 4 and 10 in his first four innings. He was then rested for the game against Sydney Sixers to allow him to spend Christmas at home in Perth. But he was back to his best in the traditional New Year’s Eve fixture at Adelaide Oval as he hammered Strikers for 74 off 35 balls, including taking Henry Thornton for the most expensive over of the season so far which cost 29. Few hit the ball harder when they get going and some of the striking was phenomenal. There was, though, a hint of controversy with the home side claiming he should have been timed out and the bowler given a few go at the stumps under one the BBL’s funky playing conditions.