A fine all-round performance from Jacques Kallis guided the Sydney Thunder to a 20-run victory over the Perth Scorchers in their Big Bash match.

Thunder captain Mike Hussey won the toss and elected to bat first and the decision was rewarded as Kallis got off to a rapid start at the crease with opening partner Andrew McDonald.

Sydney were pegged back when McDonald departed for seven to the bowling of Jason Behrendorff, but Aiden Blizzard's arrival at the crease cued an onslaught from Hussey's men.

Blizzard and Kallis powered the run rate past nine an over with shots all around the wicket as Behrendorff and Matt Dixon came in for punishment.

The duo guided the Thunder past the 100-run mark, but Blizzard soon departed for 47 when he was caught by Behrendorff off the bowling of Andrew Tye.

Hussey and the South African continued to find the boundary with regularity towards the end of the innings, but Kallis fell for an innings of 70 runs when Ashton Agar snagged his wicket.

However, the Thunder skipper and Eoin Morgan fired the visitors to a total of 179-3 in their innings with some impressive running between the wickets.

The Scorchers got off to a brisk start in their reply as they reached the 25-run mark in just the third over, but they were soon halted as openers Michael Klinger and Marcus Harris departed the crease.

Kallis the snagged then key wicket of Adam Voges for just eight, while he struck later in the over to remove Ashton Turner for a duck to leave the home side reeling at 41-4.

Michael Carberry and Sam Whiteman rebuilt the innings, with the England man taking the attack to the Perth bowlers, but his partner at the crease struggled to get into a rhythm.

Whiteman's attempt to up his run rate cost him his wicket for 16 as he was stumped off the bowling of Nathan Hauritz.

Carberry and Agar made a late dash with an impressive array of strokes at the back end of the innings, but they fell 21 runs short of their victory target as the visitors held out for the win.