No need to pinch yourselves Melbourne Stars — it wasn’t a nightmare.
The Stars’ horrific showing against the defending champion Adelaide Strikers has set several unwanted WBBL records at Karen Rolton Oval in a 148-run thrashing on Saturday night.
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Chasing the Strikers’ 3/177, which was led off with a 135-run stand including Katie Mack’s 50-ball 86 and Laura Wolvaardt’s 36-ball 47, it was like the Stars were playing on a different wicket.
With a team featuring Austalian representatives including captain Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland and Kim Garth, as well as England stars Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier and Alice Capsey, the Stars were bowled out for 29 in just 9.3 overs.
The tally is the lowest in the competition’s history, beating the Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes’ 66 against the Melbourne Renegades and the Sydney Sixers respectively, both in 2017.
The side also claimed the biggest ever loss in the tournament’s history, eclipsing the 104-run loss for the Perth Scorchers against the Renegades in November 2022.
It was a brutal thrashing with not one batter getting into double figures as Dunkley’s 10-ball nine was the top score, the five sundries (three byes, a leg bye and a wide) were second top scorer.
“It’s beyond comprehension how this has actually happened,” Julia Price said in Fox Cricket commentary.
Arguably the only thing that may help the Stars to sleep tonight is that it could have been worse — the BBL’s Sydney Thunder were famously rolled for just 15 last season.
Aussie star Tahlia McGrath, who hit 34 off 19 balls and also took 2/2 with the ball, was just as stunned as the Stars appear to have been.
“I’m a little lost for words as well,” she said.
“We started unreal with the bat with Katie and Laura, and with the ball as well so very happy.”