Stars cruise to victory as Strikers crumble for 108
Tom Rogers' first BBL half-century ensure Stars win with 33 balls to spare, keeping their slim final hopes alive
AAP
12-Jan-2023
Nathan Coulter-Nile finished with figures of 4-0-17-3 • Getty Images
Melbourne Stars 109 for 1 (Rogers 51*) beat Adelaide Strikers 108 (Nielsen 40, Coulter-Nile 3-17) by nine wickets
Melbourne Stars made light work of their 109-run chase in a nine-wicket thumping of Adelaide Strikers that keeps their slim BBL finals hopes alive.
Strikers' high-powered batting line-up crumbled at the MCG on Thursday night as they were bowled out for just 108, following successive scores of 200-plus. It was the lowest total of any side batting first this season and the third-lowest in Strikers' history.
In reply, Tom Rogers hit the first half-century of his BBL career as Stars cruised to victory with 33 balls in hand. Fellow opener Joe Clarke was the only player dismissed when he was run out by a direct hit from Ryan Gibson.
The win lifted Stars off the bottom of the ladder and improved their net run-rate, giving them a finals lifeline ahead of Saturday's derby against Melbourne Renegades. Strikers host the last-placed Brisbane Heat on the same day and are also firmly in the mix.
Strikers' low total came despite Matt Short hitting two of the first three deliveries of their innings for six as he took 20 off Luke Wood's opening over. They were the only two sixes of Strikers' innings.
Experienced duo Nathan Coulter-Nile and Adam Zampa shone for Stars, who clamped down on their opponents and bowled almost 60 dot balls.
Liam Hatcher removed the competition's top two run scorers - Short and Chris Lynn - while Beau Webster took a superb diving catch at extra cover to remove Adam Hose. Wood was the only Stars bowler with an economy rate above five an over.
Harry Nielsen top-scored for Strikers, who are winless from six attempts against Stars at the MCG.