Published On: January 4th, 2024
Figure 1- Laurie Evans for Perth Scorchers
Laurie Evans hits 85 Not Out and Lance Morris Takes a 5-wicket Haul to Continue the Unbeaten Run for the Perth Scorchers
Laurie Evans and the Perth Scorchers continue their scintillating run with an unbeaten knock and an unbeaten run in the BBL.
The victory over Adelaide Strikers puts the Perth Scorchers well cemented in second place in the BBL standings, with Brisbane Heat sitting on top, also unbeaten so far.
BBL Match 25 MoM Laurie Evans stole the show with an 85 not out that included 7 sixes plus as many fours. Evans unleashed the carnage in no more than 28 balls, helping the Scorchers post a mammoth target of 212. More than 100 runs came in the last six overs.
This was a victory against the general run of play as teams batting second won 8 out of the last 10 matches at the Optus Stadium.
Laurie Evans: A Resounding Return?
Figure 2-Englishman Laurie Evans Hitting Big Down Under
Picking off bowlers at will for a 28-ball 85 at the dead end of the innings is a remarkable feat, given that BBL cricket is arguably at par with the more expansive Indian Premier League. Laurie Evans, at 36 years of age, does bring the brighter side of age as just a number to the fore.
While on paper, a 36-year-old with a commendable county cricket history as a right-handed batsman first and a right-arm medium-fast may not put the scouts on alert, Laurie Evans has firmly put himself back in the picture and bolstered his return towards the best legs of his career yet this BBL.
However, this latest demand for Evans is well based on his performances in T20 county cricket back in England. He continued to be a highly sought-after T20 batter with many a match-winning knock-up until the allegation of using banned substances late in 2022. He had vehemently denied the allegations.
Since then, Evans has become more robust, and fans are only looking forward to more consistent performances as the Perth Scorchers are off to a blistering start in BBL 2024. The win over Adelaide Strikers saw Evans score the fastest half-century by a Perth Scorchers batter, and this might only be the beginning of a career-redefining moment for Laurie Evans, an Englishman making it big Down Under.
Morris 5-Wicket Haul Cannot Go Under the Radar
Figure 3-Lance Morris Picking Up Pace
It was a 42-run victory in the end, but the match had its difficulties. Although they’re stuck at the bottom of the table, the Adelaide Strikers have a formidable batting line, and with Short on strike at 74 not out with 58 runs and more than 5 overs remaining, the match was balanced well enough.
How would the game have gone without the 5-wicket haul from Lance Morris, effectively pressurising the top and middle order, including the in-form and dangerous Chris Lynn? Luckily for the Scorchers, Lynn and Short fell to Morris, including Hoze, Overton, and Bazley.
Lance Morris, 25, is an up-and-coming right-arm fast, one of the fastest Australian bowlers, clocking speeds well above the 150 km per hour mark. Although yet to make a considerable mark in a highly competitive BBL and Australian cricket league, Morris is genuinely making a mark.
Despite missing out on a well-deserved MoM, if not for Laurie Evans hitting his best knock so far, this was a match-winning performance and must surely have put Morris back on the scouts’ radar for a national team selection.
