Another deplorable batting display has inflicted a second straight heavy loss on the Melbourne Stars to start the BBL season, this time at the hands of reigning champions Perth Scorchers at the MCG.
The Stars first innings total of 101 all out was their third lowest in BBL history and it followed a humiliating 111 all out against the Brisbane Heat on the opening night of the season.
Scorchers new ball pairing Jason Behrendorff (3-28 off four overs) and Jhye Richardson (2-20 off four overs) ran riot as they made the most of the assistance offered by a pitch which lay under covers until the early evening due to sporadic storms.
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The pitch was not to blame for the carnage that followed however, as expansive shots sent wicket-keeper batter Sam Harper and Beau Webster, who came in to the side after being on Prime Minister’s XI duty, on their way inside the first two overs.
Commentator Anthony Hudson described the display as “just disastrous” on Fox Cricket.
The rest of the top five – Tom Rogers (22 off 17 balls), stand-in skipper Marcus Stoinis (13 off 20) and Hilton Cartwright (24 off 18) – all got starts but failed to capitalise as the Stars lost 6-31 during the middle overs when the Scorchers tightened the screws.
Some late resistance from imports Liam Dawson (22 not out off 22) and Haris Rauf (8 off 16) managed to limp them past 100 as injured captain Glenn Maxwell watched on from the sidelines due to a Grade 2 forearm strain.
The Scorchers then cruised home with the bat as they reeled in the target with 37 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand with captain Ashton Turner (19 not out off 17) and World Cup winner Josh Inglis (17 not out off 17) there at the end.
Stars’ woes worsen
The Stars languished at the bottom of the BBL table with only three wins from 14 games last season and they have now lost nine of their last ten matches including their current six game losing streak.
Across the opening two games of this season and the entirety of last season’s campaign, they have been bowled out for 122 or less on five occasions.
The return of Maxwell from a forearm injury to his beloved number four spot in their next match against the Sydney Thunder in Albury in ten days time is a much needed boost.
However, new coach, and former England boss, Peter Moores will be busy during the BBL break for the first test of the summer trying to find the right formula.
Harper and Rogers are a new combination at the top. Webster was promoted to number three having been a middle order batter previously, while Stoinis has a fine record for Australia, and in the IPL, in the middle order but has been most prolific for the Stars opening the batting.
Scorchers’ new spin duo claim BBL firsts
After not getting a chance with the ball in the abandoned game against the Melbourne Renegades in Geelong on Sunday, the Scorchers officially unveiled new spin duo Hamish McKenzie and Cooper Connolly.
Connolly already enjoys hero status in Perth for his match-winning knock of 25 not out off 11 balls in last season’s final but his left-arm finger spin adds a new dimension to his game.
He captured his first BBL wicket when Steve Eskinzai tried his best to drop Stars opener Rogers at cover as he juggled the ball three times before securing the catch.
McKenzie also snared his maiden BBL scalp by removing Cartwright caught at deep mid wicket before clean bowling Pakistan import Usama Mir the very next ball.
The left arm wrist spinner, who models parts of his game on Scorchers legend Brad Hogg, finished with figures of 2-12 from his four overs as the pair stepped into the shoes of injured spinner Ashton Agar.
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Tye plays 100th Scorchers games
Andrew Tye has been synonymous with the BBL for many years now courtesy of his array of slower balls which have deceived many batters over the journey.
The right-arm seamer has now played 100 times for the Scorchers after starting his career with the Sydney Thunder but it was once he donned orange that his career took off.
Tye’s famous knuckleball amongst his many other slow ball variations have helped him snare 145 career BBL wickets – the second most in history behind Sean Abbott – and represent Australia on 39 occasions across T20Is and ODIs.
On Wednesday night, he marked his milestone by taking figures of 1-24 off four overs.
Stoinis notches up 2500 BBL runs
Marcus Stoinis needed only a single at the start of the game to bring up his 2500th BBL run and he did so by tucking Jason Behrendorff off his hip to fine leg.
Stoinis, who was a member of Australia’s victorious World Cup squad in India, is the eighth BBL player to achieve the feat and the second Melbourne Star after Glenn Maxwell.
The powerful all-rounder boasts a highest score in the competition of 147 not out which he made against the Sydney Sixers at the MCG in BBL09 when he was named Player of the Tournament after making a BBL record 705 runs for the season.
The 34-year-old’s BBL runs have come at an average of 34.38 and a strike rate of 133.86.
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