ST vs PS | Twitter in awe as Ashton Turner’s majestic knock takes Scorchers to 71-run win over Thunder

‌Ashton Turner’s counterattacking knock helped Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Thunder by 71 runs in their Big Bash League 2025-26 match in Sydney on Tuesday. The visitors’ captain top-scored in the game with a whirlwind unbeaten 99 off just 41 balls to power his side to 202/8, helping them arrest a two-match losing streak to go third on the points table. Meanwhile, Thunder went to the bottom of the table with their fourth loss in five games.

After opting to bowl at the Sydney Showground Stadium, Thunder had the measure of the visitors, reducing them to 34/3 inside the first six overs. But the Scorchers skipper had other plans as he turned the tables on the home side with a scintillating knock. He smashed eight sixes and fours during his innings, with Aaron Hardie (28) also chipping in with an entertaining cameo, to take the side past the 200-run mark. The tall batter looked set for his first T20 century with two sixes in the first two balls of the final over from Daniel Sams, but a single off the next ball left him stranded at the other end till the close of play. Sams, though expensive, finished as the pick among the hosts’ bowlers with a spell of 4/51 in four overs, while fellow left-arm seamer Reece Topley also picked up two wickets.

In return, the home side’s openers David Warner and Matthew Gilkes got the side off to a decent start, notching 36 runs during the four-over mandatory powerplay period. But pacer Mahli Beardman ended the 60-run association for the opening wicket by sending back the Thunder skipper Warner for 25 off 21 balls. In the very next over, Gilkes followed the veteran batter after a terrible mix-up with Sam Konstas. The southpaw looked in good nick, till then, hitting two sixes and three fours during his 19-ball knock of 33. Soon, the home side slipped to 81/4 at the halfway mark of the chase with 122 runs required off the final 10. Thunder never recovered from that collapse, getting bowled out for just 131 runs with 15 balls to spare. Konstas was the only other batter, apart from the opening duo, to reach the 20-run mark as the medium pace trio of Joel Paris, Brody Couch and Aaron Hardie, along with left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly, all ended with two wickets each.

Scorchers Win!

What a win by @ScorchersBBL! Near perfect performance across the board. Of course, after I was so critical of early. #BBL15

— Click 🙂 (@ClickCollins) December 30, 2025

Pure Dominance!

Dominant. 😤#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/WkJ0KakyTc

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2025

Fire!

Bowlers going off 😤 #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/51paIt4Ky9

— Perth Scorchers (@ScorchersBBL) December 30, 2025

Connolly strikes!

❌ Cameron Bancroft

❌ Sam Billings



Cooper Connolly is on a hat-trick! #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/ULjUUIyidB

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 30, 2025

Oops!

"Horrible, horrible mix-up!" 🫣



This was not good cricket from Sam Konstas and Matt Gilkes. #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/y9XahoItKc

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 30, 2025

Boom!

BANG 💥



David Warner got every bit of that SIX off Mahli Beardman! #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/pF1eXV76io

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 30, 2025

Let's see!

Scorchers bottling another 200 🤦🏻‍♂️ #BBL15

— Amyl (@amylthesniffer) December 30, 2025

Connolly !

Connolly bowling to 2 left handers now. #BBL15

— Cong Du (@CongduNguyen2) December 30, 2025

Whata player!

Ashton turner played a blinder scoring 99 off 41 not out in bbl #BBL15

— Yash Rathi (@YashRathi1845) December 30, 2025

Brilliant!

How about this catch 😲



Matt Gilkes and Sam Konstas combine for a superb dismissal on the boundary! #BBL15 pic.twitter.com/iePzUk4NVq

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 30, 2025