Highlights: King Kallis sparks Thunder win

The match in a tweet: Strikers Thunder-struck! Russell starts and finishes the job as the boys in green cruise in top-of-the-table clash #BBL05

The moment: The huge crowd at Spotless Stadium had barely taken their seats when Strikers batsman Tim Ludeman returned to the dug out to resume his. West Indian import Andre Russell again proved himself to be one of the buys of the BBL, producing a perfect outswinger first ball to find the edge and give his side the perfect start.

WATCH: Dre-Russ gives the Thunder a perfect start

The hero: No-one summed up the Thunder's performance with the ball better than leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed. The likes of Andre Russell and Jacques Kallis may have grabbed the headlines, but Fawad's spell of 1-14 from four overs helped squeeze the life out of the Strikers in the first innings. The spinner sent down an incredible 14 dot balls to all but hand the Thunder the win before the match had reached its halfway point.

The veteran: Small targets can sometimes be tricky to chase down, but not when you have someone like Kallis at the top of the order. Having taken 1-15 with the ball, the South African legend was the rock of the Thunder's innings, combining well with Aiden Blizzard for a magnificent opening stand before steering the side home with an unbeaten 49, including two back-to-back sixes.

WATCH: Veteran Kallis goes big

The six: When you're 2-8 in the fourth over, advancing at Australia ODI bowler Gurinder Sandhu and attempting to launch him over his head is a risky move to say the least. But thankfully for Travis Head, fortune definitely favoured the brave.

WATCH: Travis Head goes large at Spotless Stadium

The bigger six: Andre Russell. Second Tier. 102 metres. Say no more.

WATCH: Dre-Russ goes MASSIVE at Spotless Stadium

The consolation effort: Tonight wasn't the early birthday present that Brad Hodge wanted, but the veteran showed again that he will be a key man for the Strikers this season. A day before his 41st birthday, Hodge top-scored with 34 from 33 balls, steadying the innings after the early collapse and then hitting out late on. Having starred with an unbeaten 56 in the first game, Hodge is proving again that the Twenty20 game is, in many ways, perfect for the wily veterans.

WATCH: Highlights of Hodge's rearguard innings

The cameo: Dropped catches in the crowd are often par for the course at Big Bash League matches, but not when the culprit is an international cricket star. Injured Thunder quick Pat Cummins, currently out of action due to a serious back injury, moved well to get under a six from Andre Russell late in the match but the 'chance' slipped through his fingers. What happened, Patty?

WATCH: Cummins spills one beyond the boundary

The turning point: After a shaky start, veterans Mahela Jayawardena and Brad Hodge were starting to rebuild the Strikers innings and steer them towards a competitive total. But just as their partnership was gaining momentum, a slight hesitation between wickets and some brilliant fielding from Ben Rohrer found the Sri Lankan short of his ground and ensured the Thunder retained their edge in the game.

WATCH: Jayawardena comes up short

The stat: The Thunder had never won three matches in a row in their short Big Bash League history, underlining how rarefied the air of top spot is for them. Four wins should secure their first-ever finals berth, meaning more history beckons for the western Sydney side.

The catch: Not for the first time in BBL|05, a fan at Spotless Stadium stole the show with a brilliant catch in the crowd. Brad Hodge sent a Shane Watson delivery flying into the stands before one very happy fan emerged with the ball in hand and a well-deserved smile on his face.

WATCH: Fan grabs ripping catch in the crowd

The wash-up: The Thunder re-affirmed their title credentials tonight and now move two points clear at the top of the table as the only unbeaten team in the competition. The Strikers can definitely respond to the heavy loss having won their opening two matches, even if their net run rate has taken a significant hit.

The next stop: The Strikers will look to bounce back on Thursday when they return home to face the Sixers in their traditional New Year's Eve match in front of what is sure to be a huge crowd at Adelaide Oval. The Thunder will head to Hobart for a clash against the Hurricanes a day later, with a victory there likely to all but secure their first-ever finals berth.

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