Match 7, Melbourne, December 13, 2023, 01:45 PM
Melbourne Stars
101/10(19.1ov)
Perth Scorchers
102/3(13.5ov)
Perth Scorchers beat Melbourne Stars by 7 wickets
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Hamish McKenzie
Commentry
Right then, another match in the 2023-24 BBL season has gone by and now there is a bit of a break in proceedings as all eyes turn to Australia's first Test match against Pakistan in Perth. That match starts on Thursday, the 14th of December at 7.50 am IST (2.20 am GMT) but you can join us early for the build-up. As for BBL action, you can switch tabs and keep an eye on the next round of fixtures after the Test match. Cheers!
Hamish McKenzie is the Player of the Match for his lovely spell of bowling. He expresses that it's pretty surreal. The whole week has been a dream come true for him. Adds he was a bit annoyed not to get a game initially. He adds that he bowled only five overs before back home, having just played grade cricket for his club. Says that he was lucky enough to secure a contract with Western Australia, he missed out on the last season due to an injury but is happy to be back. Further adds that it's pretty great for him to bowl from the Shane Warne end. Ends by saying that after this game, they're back home, with Christmas and New Year in Perth before heading to Adelaide.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, Ashton Turner won the toss and put Melbourne Stars into bat first on a pitch that had been under covers for a bit and that worked out in favor of the bowling team. Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff hit their strides right away and picked up early wickets. It was tough going for the Stars' batters with only Thomas Rogers and Hilton Cartwright getting into the 20s in the top 6. Behrendoff ended with three wickets and young chinaman bowler Hamish McKenzie picked up a couple of big wickets in the middle phase as well. Liam Dawson managed to take his side over the 100-run mark with a gritty innings at the death but it wasn't enough as Perth Scorchers made light work of the chase and achieved the target of 102 runs in 13.5 overs.
Melbourne Stars were without the services of regular skipper Glenn Maxwell and frontline pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile but did have enough big names in their ranks. The addition of Haris Rauf should have bolstered their bowling attack but they hardly had any runs to defend. Marcus Stoinis and Joel Paris were hit away early in the innings and even though the latter picked up a wicket, the opposition were well in front. The spinners bowled decently in the middle phase with Liam Dawson and Usama Mir picking up a wicket each it wasn't enough as they were well beaten in the end.
The reigning champions, Perth Scorchers are up and running after they had to abandon play in their first game due to an unsafe pitch with a solid all-round performance. As for Melbourne Stars, they succumbed to a second straight defeat to begin their campaign. The bowlers had set it up for the Scorchers and all they needed was a half-decent start with the bat which they did get. Both Stephen Eskinazi and Cooper Connolly got a few boundaries away early on before Connolly got out. The top three all got into the 20s and got out and the Scorchers seemed to have lost their way a bit in the middle overs. But then the experienced pair of Josh Inglis and skipper Ashton Turner steadied the ship and took their side home with the latter hitting a few lusty blows in the process as well.
In over# 14
1
1
2
1
0
Liam Dawson 30/1(3.5)
13.5
1
Ashton Turner hits the winning runs! Short and wide outside off. Turner cuts it to deep point for a single and that will be it. Perth Scorchers win by a thumping margin of 7 wickets and with more than 6 overs to spare.
13.4
1
Flat and quick at the stumps. Inglis punches it down the ground to long on for one.
13.3
2
Fired in outside leg, Inglis goes for the reverse sweep and it loops up off a thick top edge! It goes over the fielder at short third for a couple of runs.
13.2
1
Short and wide outside off, Turner cuts it to sweeper cover for a single.
13.1
.
Short and wide outside off. Turner cuts it to point for none.
In over# 13
1
0
1
1
4
0
Usama Mir 22/1(4)
12.6
1
Flighted at the stumps. Turner nudges it to square leg for one more.
12.5
.
Too full and at the stumps. Turner plays all around it and jams it out.
12.4
1
Wrong'un on the leg peg. Inglis turns it round the corner for a single.
12.3
1
Tossed up outside off. Turner gets low and lifts it to the long on region for a single.
12.2
4
FOUR! Put Away! Turner wants to finish this quickly! Flighted full and at the stumps. Turner gets down on one knee and slogs it away to the deep mid-wicket region for a powerful boundary.
12.1
.
Flatter wrong'un on the middle. Turner goes back and dabs it to backward point.