A sensational game in Adelaide started with Ben McDermott and Caleb Jewell getting a fast start for the Strikers, hitting 75 off the first six overs and taking Wes Agar for 23 off his first over. After Colin de Grandhomme dismissed Jewell for 54 and McDermott holed out to Adam Hose in the deep for 57, Crawley came to the crease for the first time ever in the franchise competition.

It didn’t take him long to get going, pumping his second ball for four off Harry Conway before facing two challenging overs from Rashid Khan in his last game for the Strikers this season. Having reached 15 off 12, Crawley broke the shackles in de Grandhomme’s final over, smashing his first ball for four before finishing the over with a six over deep square leg.

Riding his luck, the Kent opener smashed Rashid for a massive six – slog-swept over deep midwicket – but was dropped by Chris Lynn three balls later after top-edging Rashid’s final ball high into the air. Crawley capitalised, manoeuvring the first ball of the final over past square leg for four and walloping a massive six off Agar from the final ball of the innings, bringing up his half-century in the process.

His innings contained three sixes and five fours, helping the Hurricanes to 229-4, the fourth-highest total in the history of the BBL, and the highest ever by the Hurricanes.

The most exciting drama of the match was yet to come, however, as the Strikers chased down the record total with three balls to spare. Lynn smashed a rapid-fire 64 from 29 balls, and Short brought up a brilliant century off the last ball of the match to see his side home. It was the highest-ever successful run chase in the BBL, with more than 450 runs scored in the match – also a competition record.

Watch Crawley bring up his half-century with a six below:

Woweee! Zak Crawley brings up his fifty on debut to lift the @HurricanesBBL to their highest EVER total!

Awesome stuff #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/Ah8G37O3fO

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 5, 2023