Young gun Cooper Connolly may have lifted Perth into fourth and BBL finals contention, but he’ll be in Dubai when the Scorchers’ fate is sealed on Sunday.
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Perth need the Hobart Hurricanes to defeat the Melbourne Stars in the final match of the BBL14 season if they are to play finals.
And should that happen, their golden bat prodigy Connolly won’t be with them for their post-season charge as he heads overseas for his maiden Australian Test team call up.
“It’s obviously not ideal, but the opportunity has come to go to Sri Lanka – I’m grateful for that opportunity,” he said.
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“I’d love to be playing here at the Scorchers … it’s probably going to sit pretty strangely with me for the next couple of days (missing out).
“I just hope if the boys get the opportunity, they’ll make the most of it. I definitely have full belief they will.”
The Scorchers are a surprisingly finals contender given they had won just three games heading into Saturday night’s do-or-die clash with the Strikers.
But Connolly lifted his team when needed, claiming the key wicket of Matt Short before making 39* off just 21 balls – in an innings with four sixes.
“It’s not the season we would have liked … but it’s nice to be sitting in the top four. It puts the pressure on the Stars now,” he said.
“I’m rooting for the boys to be playing finals. I’m hoping they go all the way.
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“I believe in this team.
“We haven’t gotten the results we wanted to … (but) we’re here for a reason. We’re an unbelievable team. The belief is super high.
“If we get the opportunity to play finals I think we’ll make the most of it.”
Connolly is one of Australia’s Test bolters, and his odds of debuting in Sri Lanka only increased with a finger injury to spinner Matt Kuhnemann earlier this week.
But the young gun said his focus stayed with Perth ahead of the must-win match on Saturday night.
“I just concentrated on tonight to get the win for the Scorchers and push us into the finals,” he said.
“But if the opportunity arose for me to make my debut, I’d try to make the most of it.
“You take some confidence (from his BBL form) – it’s a completely different game but I think I’m seeing the ball nicely at the moment.
“It’s about trying to get better every day, take as much advice as possible.”
Connolly is the only player in the Test squad who has played every possible BBL game for his side this campaign. Sixer Sean Abbott also departs after five appearances in pink.
While it was jubilation for the Scorchers on Saturday night, the loss ensured Adelaide finish last on the ladder after a tough BBL14 campaign.
“We just weren’t up to it tonight unfortunately,” assistant coach Steven Crook told Fox Cricket.
“It’s been one of those campaigns where we’ve played some really good cricket but unfortunately lost a few key moments. Obviously it makes a difference at the end of it.
“It’s disappointing that you finish down the bottom … There’s a lot to learn from this.
“It’s not quite gone our way this tournament.”
The Australian Test squad will depart for Dubai on Sunday, with Under 19s teen sensation Oliver Peake with them.
The first Test against Sri Lanka begins on January 29.
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