Perth Scorchers are in control of BBL, winning over Melbourne Stars 3-102 with nearly six overs to spare. The match affirmed the Scorchers’ strength after the disappointment in Geelong against Melbourne Renegades.
The league goes on a recess for the upcoming Test until December 19, making it an underwhelming tournament thus far with only seven matches played.
Perth’s Jason Behrendorff claimed his dominance with 3-28, including a rare T20 double-wicket maiden, while Melbourne’s stars faced difficulties while defending a low total.
Meanwhile, Marcus Stoinis, the new captain of Melbourne Stars, acknowledged the resilience and effort of his team despite the disappointing run.
Jhye Richardson celebrates after taking the wicket of Sam Harper.
Melbourne was significantly affected by Perth’s aggressive performance. The Stars’ batting crumbled, especially in the face of Perth’s polished performance. Late runners Liam Dawson and Haris Rauf salvaged some pride for the Stars with a 21-run partnership, but it was not enough to overcome Perth’s dominance.
Haris Rauf. (Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)
In contrast, Perth exhibited a confident performance, led by Cooper Connolly and Ashton Turner, who successfully steered them to the finish line.
Hamish McKenzie left a mark as well for Perth with a brilliant 2-12 from his overs, earning him the title of man of the match.
Despite raining forecasted, the match escaped any interruptions, and Melbourne Stars faced the challenge of playing without regular captain Glenn Maxwell and player Nathan Coulter-Nile.
© AAP