MS vs AS | Twitter stunned as Tom Curran powers Stars into playoffs with six-wicket win over Strikers

Venkateswaran N

ByVenkateswaran N,SportsCafe Editor

15

Melbourne Stars thrashed Adelaide Strikers by six wickets in a Big Bash League match in Melbourne on Tuesday. Tom Curran picked up a four-wicket haul to skittle out the visitors for a paltry total before the Stars cantered past the target to go up to second in the BBL points table.

Tom Curran

‌Melbourne Stars gave Adelaide Strikers a hiding with a six-wicket win to qualify for the playoffs of the Big Bash League in Melbourne on Tuesday. Tom Curran came with an unbelievable four-wicket spell to blow the Strikers away for just 83 runs before the home side cantered home to move to second in the BBL points table. Meanwhile, the Strikers were formally eliminated from the playoff race after an awful performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After being put into bat, the Strikers had a horrific start with Curran sending back Alex Carey and Chris Lynn in his first two overs. With Peter Siddle removing skipper Matthew Short and Curran striking again in his next over too, the visitors were laid low at 21/4 at the end of six overs. There was no way out for the Strikers as they endured another painful collapse to be placed at 55/9 with more than six overs to play. However, Cameron Boyce and Tabraiz Shamsi helped the side from further embarrassment with a last-wicket partnership of 28 runs, incidentally the highest for the Strikers in the entire match. Boyce hit a four and a six to score an 18-ball 20 before being the last batter to be dismissed in the final over of the innings. For the Stars, it was Curran who stole the show with figures of 4/10 in four overs, while Mitchell Swepson and Marcus Stoinis picked up three and two wickets, respectively.

Though the chase was expected to be more or less a formality, the Stars lost two early wickets to be placed at a tricky 13/2 after three overs. But fellow opener Thomas Rogers was still there in the middle as he stitched crucial partnerships with Blake Macdonald and skipper Stoinis to take the side close to the finish line. Rogers had two fours during his patient knock of 32 from 40 balls, while Stoinis had to go out after getting hit on his finger just two runs away from the target. The Stars’ skipper hit a four and a six to reach 23 off 20 balls before walking off, as the home side reached 86/4 to wrap the affair with 29 balls to spare. For the visitors, medium pacer Liam Scott had figures of 2/12 in 2.1 overs while Hasan Ali and Jamie Overton ended with a wicket apiece.

 Injury Scare

Curran Masterclass

On Fire!

Well played!

Unreal!

What a player!

maiden over!

Lowest BBL total!

Qualified!

Stars Shine

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