Hampshire's James Vince is at the forefront of Sydney Thunder's unexpected bid for a place in Australia's KFC Big Bash League finals.
The Thunder won the T20 competition last winter, but were virtually out for the count after suffering four successive defeats in the defence of their title.
But since Vince arrived in Australia, the Thunder have suddenly hit their straps.
He looked on as England One-Day captain Eoin Morgan hit a straight six off the last ball to enable the Thunder to pull off a miraculous victory over Kevin Pietersen's Melbourne Stars and give their title defence a late start.
But since Morgan departed to join England's ODI squad in India, Vince has come to the Big Bash party in some style.
He smacked a quick-fire 44 off 28 balls (one six and six fours) as Thunder beat George Bailey's Hobart Hurricanes (161-8) by six wickets in Tasmania.
And then fired 28 off 18 deliveries as the Thunder crushed arch rivals Sydney Sixes by eight wickets in front of a record sell-out 39,756 crowd at the SCG.
Sixes managed only 99-9 off 20 overs - a record low score Thunder rattled off in ten overs to move to within one win of snatching an unexpected place in the semi-finals.
If they make it four wins in a row against the Adelaide Strikers at an already sold out Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, the Thunder could sneak a place in next week's semi-finals.
Bailey, who begins a two-year contract with Hampshire in April, has also been in good T20 form with back-to-back fifties.
He made 59 in Hurricanes' defeat by Sydney Thunder - a knock he mirrored a few days later at the Etihad Stadium, where Hobart chased down Melbourne Renegades' 222-4 to pull off arguably the most remarkable win in T20 cricket history.
Ben McDermott, son of former Australia quick Craig McDermott, smashed 114 off 52 balls before Stuart Broad clinched an astonishing two-wicket Hurricanes' win off the last ball.
Hobart Hurricanes must win their final match against Adelaide Strikers to stand any chance of breaking into the Finals.
Former Gosport Borough batsman Chris Lynn, who played Southern Premier League cricket for the Privett Park club in 2008, remains the leading run scorer - and six hitter - in the BBL.
His 309 runs for the Brisbane Heat have included 17 sixes.
Lynn's BBL season may, however, have ended following his One Day International call up for Australia against Pakistan. He played in the Aussies' victory at Brisbane, but a neck injury ruled him out of yesterday's ODI defeat by Pakistan at the MCG.
The Thunder won the T20 competition last winter, but were virtually out for the count after suffering four successive defeats in the defence of their title.
But since Vince arrived in Australia, the Thunder have suddenly hit their straps.
He looked on as England One-Day captain Eoin Morgan hit a straight six off the last ball to enable the Thunder to pull off a miraculous victory over Kevin Pietersen's Melbourne Stars and give their title defence a late start.
But since Morgan departed to join England's ODI squad in India, Vince has come to the Big Bash party in some style.
He smacked a quick-fire 44 off 28 balls (one six and six fours) as Thunder beat George Bailey's Hobart Hurricanes (161-8) by six wickets in Tasmania.
And then fired 28 off 18 deliveries as the Thunder crushed arch rivals Sydney Sixes by eight wickets in front of a record sell-out 39,756 crowd at the SCG.
Sixes managed only 99-9 off 20 overs - a record low score Thunder rattled off in ten overs to move to within one win of snatching an unexpected place in the semi-finals.
If they make it four wins in a row against the Adelaide Strikers at an already sold out Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, the Thunder could sneak a place in next week's semi-finals.
Bailey, who begins a two-year contract with Hampshire in April, has also been in good T20 form with back-to-back fifties.
He made 59 in Hurricanes' defeat by Sydney Thunder - a knock he mirrored a few days later at the Etihad Stadium, where Hobart chased down Melbourne Renegades' 222-4 to pull off arguably the most remarkable win in T20 cricket history.
Ben McDermott, son of former Australia quick Craig McDermott, smashed 114 off 52 balls before Stuart Broad clinched an astonishing two-wicket Hurricanes' win off the last ball.
Hobart Hurricanes must win their final match against Adelaide Strikers to stand any chance of breaking into the Finals.
Former Gosport Borough batsman Chris Lynn, who played Southern Premier League cricket for the Privett Park club in 2008, remains the leading run scorer - and six hitter - in the BBL.
His 309 runs for the Brisbane Heat have included 17 sixes.
Lynn's BBL season may, however, have ended following his One Day International call up for Australia against Pakistan. He played in the Aussies' victory at Brisbane, but a neck injury ruled him out of yesterday's ODI defeat by Pakistan at the MCG.
