Engliish dynamo Alex Hales has secured the Sydney Thunder a BBL finals spot with a record-breaking role in a nine-wicket trouncing of the Adelaide Strikers.
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Chasing 116 to win from 14 overs in Monday night's rain-reduced match, Hales made an unbeaten 63 as the Thunder won with 11 balls to spare.
Hales' 39-ball knock featured four sixes - he's hit 30 this tournament, eclipsing Marcus Stoinis' previous record of 28 for the most sixes in a BBL edition.
The Thunder also banked a bonus point in their Adelaide Oval triumph to rise to third on the ladder and seal a berth in playoffs, starting on Friday.
Adelaide slip to fourth spot and are relying on results of the last three regular-season games on Tuesday falling their way.
The finals door is open for Hobart Hurricanes (fifth), Brisbane Heat (sixth) and Melbourne Stars (seventh).
And those three franchises can largely thank Hales, the tournament's leading run-scorer.
The Englishman reached his half-century from just 31 balls and combined with captain Callum Ferguson for a match-winning partnership.
Thunder opener Usman Khawaja was bowled for a golden duck by Daniel Worrall on the first ball of the innings.
Hales and Ferguson (46no from 33 balls) then registered a century stand from just 64 balls to cruise to victory.
"He (Hales) is just a class act," Ferguson said.
"We were really keen to get him across a couple of years ago and it has paid off big-time.
"He was really keen to prove an point and prove a lot of people wrong and he has done that, and some, over the last two years."
Earlier, Jake Weatherald played a lone hand in the Strikers's 4-115, carrying his bat through the reduced innings.
The lefthander cracked eight fours and four sixes and dominated his side's scoring.
At the seven-over midway point, Weatherland had scored 29 of Adelaide's 3-37 after the dismissals of Alex Carey (two), Phil Salt (one) and Travis Head (two).
It took until the 11th over - the sole power surge over in the restricted match - for another batsman to reach the boundary, when Jon Wells struck consecutive fours.
Weatherland repeated that feat in the same Milne over, reaching his half-century from 36 balls.
Wells (21 from 18 balls) fell in the 13th over, ending a 63-run partnership with Weatherald, who continued a late flourish.
Australian Associated Press
