Perth Scorchers fell to a 16-run defeat against Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, despite another superb performance with the bat from Barrow's Liam Livingstone.

It was a second defeat in a row for the Scorchers, who are in a scramble for one of the two remaining play-off places, along with four of the other franchises.

Livingstone wasn't the only English opener to stand out in the match at the Optus Stadium, as Sussex's Phil Salt top-scored with 59 off 31 deliveries to help the Strikers to post 182-5.

Livingstone led the fight for the Scorchers by blasting 79 off 54 balls - his best BBL total - but it was a lone furrow, as the hosts slumped to 165-7, with Wes Agar taking 3-36.

Adelaide won the toss and chose to bat and an opening stand of 71 in 7.1 overs between Jake Weatherald and Salt put them on track.

Captain Travis Head also contributed 35, while Matthew Kelly and Ashton Agar, who was up against his brother, both took two wickets for the Scorchers.

Wickets tumbled around Livingstone, but the Barrow Cricket Club graduate still managed to plunder one four and seven sixes in what was another excellent knock from the 26-year-old.

However, when he fell at the start of the 16th over by launching Wes Agar to Weatherald at deep midwicket with the score 115-4, the writing was on the wall for Perth, whose next highest scorer was Kurtis Patterson (17).