The Melbourne Stars take on the Adelaide Strikers in front of what’s set to be a full house at the Adelaide Oval, with the Stars in desperate need of a win.
And Marcus Stoinis provided the New Year’s Eve fireworks a little earlier than scheduled.
The Stars all-rounder, who entered the match in a form slump and under fire for the decision to rest him on Boxing Day, answered his critics with pure batting brilliance – including a massive 29-run over against the competition’s leading wickettaker Henry Thornton.
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He first took Strikers captain Peter Siddle to the cleaners with a 24-run blitz in the 12th over.
But he sent shockwaves through the competition with the highest scoring over this tournament.
After Nick Larkin got off strike with a single from the first ball, Stoinis taught the Strikers youngster an absolute lesson.
He went with three straight sixes before a lucky inside edge ran down fine leg for four.
Stoinis then went for another maximum off the final ball of the over, sending it over deep mid wicket for the fourth six in five deliveries.
“The hulk returns to the BBL,” Fox Cricket’s Isa Guha praised.
“Stoinis is tearing it up at Adelaide Oval.
“It’s a feeding frenzy on the short side of the ground. Unbelievable power striking from Marcus Stoinis.
Fellow commentator Kerry O’Keeffe couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Thornton was having a great night before this over and Stoinis is ruining it for him,” he said.
“I have no words … stop it!
“Stoinis going berko!”
The all-rounder fell just five balls short of seeing out the innings for a brilliant 74 off just 35 balls.
His innings helped the Stars to a massive 7-186 – their highest score of the tournament so far.
The visitors have managed to ride their luck early, with nicks clearing fielders and what appeared to be a piece of brilliance in the field called back after replays showed Adam Hose touching the rope.
“He’s nearly pulled that back from the scoreboard,” Fox Cricket’s Brad Haddin said.
Tom Rogers was the man doing the damage, with 24 off 20 balls, including the boundary that just made the rope.
He helped take 17 runs off Peter Siddle’s first over before Strikers fan favourite Rashid Khan came into the attack.
He almost had the immediate outcome, with Joe Clarke given out LBW.
But his review showed the ball missing the stumps, and he survived on 12.
“It turned too much!” Fox Cricket’s Isa Guha said.
It took until the eighth over for Henry Thornton get the breakthrough for the Strikers, when Rogers holed out in the deep on 30.
“At 30 off 24, he’s prepared to risk the six. But he falls,” commentator Kerry O’Keeffe said.
“He knew he had to get more of that.”
Khan, mic’d up for Fox Cricket, couldn’t help himself as he threw plenty of cheeky digs at Stars opponent Clarke.
“Are you close? You’re well set now,” he told the Stars batter.
“I thought you were going to play some shots now. How many balls you faced? More than 30?”
Clarke decided to engage with Khan, telling him “That’s a good length that. What was I supposed to do with that?”
Khan also tried to get under Beau Webster’s skin, tempting him with a gap at mid-wicket.
“There’s no mid-wicket. Have some,” Khan said gesturing to the field spot.
“That was the easy ball to hit to mid-wicket.”
Khan, who had a similar sledging battle against Perth’s Ashton Turner where he told him the Test was in Melbourne, said he didn’t enjoy opponents playing conservative against him.
“Just making sure they play some uncomfortable shots,” he explained.
“That’s something I don’t like (when they play conservative).
“Just to make sure the batsman have something in the mind to go after you.”
Clarke fell for 42 with a botched ramp but he set the platform for a big finish with Stoinis able to pick up the pace.
“Joe Clarke tried to get funky,” O’Keeffe said.
“Too much quirk can cost you your wicket.”
The Stars, who have won just one game from five this season, have come under fire for their performance on the field.
MATCH CENTRE: Scorecards, stats and more!
Coach David Hussey took aim at the attitude of his troops, a stance former Australian international Brad Hogg agreed with, given star duo Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile missed their team’s Boxing Day fixture as they were back in Perth to celebrate Christmas.
However, Coulter-Nile and Stoinis, who averages a worrying 3.5 with the bat from the four games he’s played this season, were both named in the squad for the clash against the Strikers.
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As for the Strikers, they’ve been somewhat brought back down to earth after a blistering start in which they won three games.
The South Australians enter the contest on the back of consecutive losses, with the most recent coming against league leaders Perth Scorchers.
But with a five-day gap between games, Strikers coach Jason Gillespie will no doubt hope it’s given his side enough time to shake off the loss and get back to winning ways.
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A screamer! Jordans flying catch | 00:32
MORE COVERAGE
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TEAMS
Strikers: Henry Hunt, Matt Short, Chris Lynn, Adam Hose, Colin de Grandhomme, Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen (wk), Rashid Khan, Wes Agar, Henry Thornton, Peter Siddle (c)
Stars: Joe Clarke (wk), Tom Rogers, Beau Webster, Marcus Stoinis, Hilton Cartwright, Nick Larkin, Campbell Kellaway, Luke Wood, Trent Boult, Liam Hatcher, Adam Zampa (c)
Follow the Melbourne Stars’ clash against the Adelaide Strikers in our LIVE BLOG below!
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