BBL Match Report: Stars Squeeze Strikers in Adelaide Thriller

Adelaide Strikers: 155/8 (20 Overs) | Melbourne Stars: 156. The Adelaide Oval has that well-worn tug of war between the clinical bowling of the Melbourne Stars, which in today’s fixtures placed the Adelaide Strikers at 155/8. In the fifth round the Strikers did not reach 156, the “killer blow,” despite a flat deck and fast outfield. The Curran Chaos & The Early Shock. The captain of Melbourne Stars had a daring call to bowl first, and soon Tom Curran repaid that confidence. After Maxwell made the quiet opening over, Curran had ripped through the Strikers' top order, dismissing three balls the heavyweights Chris Lynn and Jason Sangha. At 7/2, the Strikers were staring at a collapse. Matthew Short: The Lone Warrior. Stabilizing the ship was left to Matthew Short to do. On the short, balancing caution and aggression, made him the 17th BBL Fifty. His partnership with Liam Scott (25) brought the innings back to life. But the disciplined middle-over period for the Stars complicated drawing boundaries and the Strikers had to survive on “percentage cricket.” The Power Surge Disaster. But the critical turning point came on the 16th over, when the Strikers opted for the Power Surge. Instead of an explosion of runs they stumbled across a wall. On perfect yorkers and slower balls, Haris Rauf and Peter Siddle conceded 16 runs and picked up two important wickets. From a placid 110/3, the Strikers stuttered to 141/8, with only 38 runs in the last 5 overs. And, in the last five overs, Haris Rauf took the lead with a clinical 3-wicket haul. THE CHASE: CAN THE STARS CLOSE IT OUT? When the Melbourne Stars try 156 they enter the second innings as favorites by far. The Strikers’ bowling lineup, led by David Payne, will need “Powerplay Magic” on a surface this good to defend this total. This would be the end of the team if Maxwell or Stoinis got in motion.