HAWKESBURY Cricket Club’s Arjun Nair and the Sydney Thunder men have bowed out of the Big Bash League finals hunt, while Naomi Stalenberg and the women are on top of the table.
The men had a nine run defeat to the Melbourne Renegades in Canberra on Wednesday, January 24.
It was the Thunder’s final game of the season, and the team needed a win to stay in the finals hunt.
Arjun Nair hit 45 off 25 balls with the Thunder chasing a big total of 189.
Nair combined with Ben Rohrer, 48 off 21, during the chase, making an 84-run partnership.
Nair eventually fell to Kane Richardson, who was named man of the match.
Nair repaid the faith shown in him by selectors, who kept him in the team, despite the all-rounder being banned from bowling for three months.
Meanwhile, the Thunder women defeated the Renegades earlier on Wednesday in Canberra, but still have two matches to play this weekend.
The Thunder dominated the Renegades, bowling them out for 68, with the Hawkesbury’s Stalenberg taking two catches in the game.
With the bat, Stalenberg scored six off 18 balls, however, with such a low total set, many of the Thunder’s other batters scored slowly.
The women will play back to back games against the Brisbane Heat this weekend.