Twitter Reactions: Strikers claim an easy victory as trouble deepens for Melbourne Stars

With Marcus Stoinis not being in a position to deliver with the ball owing to his injury, the Stars were slightly depleted in their bowling column.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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2 Min Read

Wes Agar
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Wes Agar. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

The start-stop affair of Melbourne Stars continues as they were convincingly outplayed by the Adelaide Strikers in the 36th encounter of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21. Having elected to bat first, Stars failed to make a score of substance and struggled for most of their innings. Andre Fletcher made a spicy start as he slapped two sixes off Harry Conway, however, he soon holed out Wes Agar to Ryan Gibson at long-on after scoring a run-a-ball 12 to continue his dismal show.

Marcus Stoinis shone again as he took the attack to the opposition, slamming four fours and three sixes in his 47 from 31, although the twin dismissals in the 9th over by Rashid Khan, who cleaned up Nick Larkin (18 from 23) before getting Glenn Maxwell caught at backward point by Danny Briggs for a golden duck– derailed the Stars’ innings. Stoinis, too, perished to Agar soon after adding 28 from 18 with Nic Maddinson.

A squandered Power Surge that fetched 16 for 2 killed every chance for the Stars to score a defendable total, however, Nic Maddinson, who came back after an injury, guided them to 149 for 7, through his 34-ball 48 including three sixes. Barring Danny Briggs, who ended up leaking 41 runs in a wicket-less spell of four overs, all the Strikers’ bowlers managed a wicket: Worrall, Agar, and Rashid bagged two each, whereas Conway got Hilton Cartwright caught by Alex Carey behind the wicket as his solitary scalp.

An easy chase in the end for Strikers 

With Marcus Stoinis not being in a position to deliver with the ball owing to his injury, the Stars were slightly depleted in their bowling column. The manner they could have managed to keep themselves alive in the game was bagging early wickets, and they got one of Matt Renshaw (9 from 13), who picked Nick Larkin at deep square leg off Sam Rainbird after adding 27 with his opening partner Phil Salt. Chasing a benign target meant that even a few starts were sufficient during the chase, and that is what the Strikers’ batsmen did.

Glenn Maxwell struck in the 9th over to dismiss Salt, who scored 31 from 22, and when Adam Zampa got Alex Carey (21 from 20) courtesy of a sensational diving catch by Nic Maddinson at short third man, the team smelled a chance of a comeback. However, despite two quick jolts, Jonathan Wells held his nerves, adding 32 with Jake Weatherald (19 from 16), who fell to Zampa to leave his side situated in a tricky situation at 97 for 4.

Continuing from his end, Wells found some able support from Ryan Gibson, and the duo added a quick-fire 37 from 21. Having hit a couple of fours and as many sixes, Wells failed to take his team across the line as he holed out to Larkin off Haris Rauf after scoring 36 from 27, however, Gibson (22 from 13), alongside Rashid Khan, took the Strikers to a five-wicket victory with an over to spare.

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BBL 2023-24Adelaide StrikersMelbourne Stars