BBL7 - Scorchers v Stars Recap - My 5 Takes
1. Scorchers Defend 142 To Make It Two From Two
The Perth Scorchers made it back-to-back victories to start BBL7 last night with a 13-run victory over the Melbourne Stars at the WACA. Defending just 142, the Scorchers looked to put the clamps on the Stars, like only they can, restricting them to 8/129, with Andrew Tye taking 5/23 from his four overs. Despite James Faulkner top scoring with 35 not out, the Stars were left to rue a calamitous start to their chase of a moderate target, as they slumped to 5/59 inside the first ten overs. The Stars have now dropped their opening two games despite dominating large portions of last night’s contest. The Stars had the Scorchers floundering at 3/10 after four overs, however Hilton Cartwright (58) and Adam Voges (35) managed to rebuild the innings with a partnership of 83. Ashton Agar gave the Scorchers further late impetus with the bat, making 33 from 21 balls.
2. Tye The Match Winner Once More
Andre Tye continues to prove himself as an outstanding T20 bowler, as he fired again last night with a remarkable 5/23 from four overs. Tye claimed a hat-trick in the Scorchers’ season-opening win over the Sydney Sixers on Saturday, and again was responsible for changing the whole dynamic and momentum of the match with his opening spell, defending a low total last night. At the death, requiring 18 to win off the last over has proved far from impossible over the years, yet Tye show his ice cool nerves, as well as his exceptional bowling skills, to concede just four runs. Tye has been exceptional in BBL cricket for the Scorchers, playing a huge role in two of their three Title wins. He now has 48 wickets from just 34 games in the BBL, at an economy rate under 7.
3. Scorchers Defend Low Scores Like No Other Side
A telling stat shows you just how good the Perth Scorchers have been as a franchise since the BBL started seven years ago. This team has now defended scores of less then 143 seven times, whilst the rest of the competition, combined, have managed to do so four times in total. I made the mistake of writing this team off this year given the sheer amount of quality and experience they were missing. However, it appears their winning culture, created by Justin Langer and their senior players, runs deep through this franchise. Despite missing the likes of the Marsh brothers, Michael Klinger, Sam Whiteman, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff, this patched up Scorchers’ side continues to defy the odds.
4. Stars Might Need Batting Re-Think
There is no better batting line-up than the Stars on paper this year, however games are not played on pieces of paper. Sometimes, when you have so many quality names in a batting line-up, there can be a lack of urgency or a subconscious mentality that someone else will get the job done. Not many sides in this tournament can boast players with the quality of Rob Quiney, James Faulkner and John Hastings batting at 6, 7 and 8, and that was in a line-up comprising lynchpin Kevin Pietersen. However, the Stars top order has now totally misfired in two games in a row, with the likes of Dunk, Wright, and Maxwell misfiring. Personally, I believe Rob Quiney should be opening the batting for them, given the job he did last year, and that would mean moving Luke Wright into the middle order.
5. Wright and Maxwell Let Stars Down With Soft Shots
Sometimes it's hard to be critical of T20 batting line-ups for getting out to irresponsible shots, given the nature of the game. However, last night I felt that both Luke Wright and Glen Maxwell let their side down badly. Having lost Ben Dunk and Peter Handscomb early, the experienced pair needed to sense the importance of the moment and knuckle down for the next few overs. However, both were out to awfully loose and soft dismissals, with Wright hitting one straight down the throat of mid-off, whilst Maxwell swung wildly at a slower ball and was comprehensively bowled. For players of international experience, chasing 143, all that was required when two wickets down was to get through the Powerplay and, on a lightning fast outfield and with the small straight boundaries, runs would be easier to find later in the innings. However, the Stars coughed up five wickets in the opening ten overs, meaning the likes of Faulkner, Stoinis, Quiney and Hastings had to play more circumspectly, knowing their wickets would likely end the contest.