The Adelaide Strikers have broken their winless streak and finished 2016 with a bang after thumping the Sydney Sixers by 48 runs in Saturday's New Year's Eve clash at Adelaide Oval.
With openers Jason Roy and Daniel Hughes starting promisingly, the visitors looked in control in their pursuit of the Strikers' 9-152 before a collapse left the Sixers' reply in tatters, eventually being skittled for 104.
The Sixers lost five wickets in as many overs to leave the home crowd of 45,471 celebrating into the night.
Only Englishman Sam Billings offered any resistance, scoring 40 as Billy Stanlake mopped up the tail and recalled paceman Ben Laughlin was miserly in the middle.
Travis Head had axed Test batsman Nic Maddinson caught by Jake Weatherald at backward point, Stanlake's bouncer forced Brad Haddin to step on his stumps and Sydney skipper Moises Henriques hammered a long hop from leg-spinner Liam O'Connor straight to Kieron Pollard on the rope.
At 7-64, the Sixers needed the type of miracle Head conjured a year ago in the corresponding match and Billings briefly looked the man to do it.
But when he rifled a return catch to countryman Chris Jordan, Sydney was done.
Earlier, Sean Abbott's career-best haul of 5-16, the second-best bowling figures in BBL history, sparked a Strikers collapse after Henriques won the toss and sent the home side in.
Abbott was the chief destroyer for Sydney as the Sixers restricted the Strikers to what appeared a below-par 9-152.
The home side was flying at almost 10 an over before Abbott was introduced in the 10th over and removed Ben Dunk, Brad Hodge and Head in quick succession.
Kieron Pollard recaptured some of his old form and gave the scorecard some respectability with a quickfire 29, including two massive sixes.
Miserly Laughlin was pleased with his bowling performance, which anchored Adelaide's defence of its '15 under-par' total.
"After the start we got when we were going 10s (run-rate) after the first 10 (overs) we thought we were going (for) about 180," Laughlin said.
"We felt 15 under par but we bowled pretty well to restrict them.
"It was a good night at the office.
"I mixed it up and it suited my slower ball a bit more, this wicket, which was good and bowling to the big leg-side boundary."
Abbott credited the Strikers' attack for their ability to combine together and 'hunt' the visitors down.
"After the powerplay it looked like we were going to be chasing a fair bit more," he said.
"At the break we were pretty confident, (but) credit to the Strikers. They bowled and hunted well as a unit."
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