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The Perth Scorchers won through to the BBL04 grand final with an 18-run win over the Melbourne Stars. Source: News Corp Australia
THE Melbourne Stars crashed out of the Big Bash finals without a win for the fourth consecutive season after failing to chase down 144 against the Perth Scorchers at the WACA ground last night.
The Stars’ run chase never got going after brilliant bowling from John Hastings and a Clint McKay maiden restricted the Scorchers to 7-144 from their 20 overs and put the visitors in the box seat.
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Andrew Tye celebrates the wicket of John Hastings, he finished with 4-18. Photo by Paul Kane. Source: Getty Images
McKay (1-33) finished the Scorchers innings bowling six slower deliveries — that did not exceed 108km/h — to Scorchers No. 9 batsman Andrew Tye, who failed to make contact with the ball despite offering six wild slogs.
Ironically, Tye’s own slower ball — dubbed the knuckle ball — has been one of the revelations of the tournament.
Melbourne's Clint McKay has sent Perth packing with an outstanding maiden over where Andrew Tye swung and missed six balls straight.
However, the Scorchers have proven their ability to defend sub-par scores and Tye had the last laugh when he ripped through the Stars batting order to claim 4-18.
He took the wicket of McKay, as well as Luke Wright, Peter Handscomb and John Hastings to secure the 18-run victory.
Kevin Pietersen scored 31 before he fell victim to Nathan Coulter-Nile. Photo by Gareth Copley. Source: Getty Images
Cameron White and Wright had the Stars in decent shape at 0-39 after the powerplay, but when White fell in the seventh over and then Wright (31) 28 runs later the game was on Kevin Pietersen’s bat.
However, the Englishman could only manage 31 and a slog-sweep six off Brad Hogg before he handed the returning Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-31) his second wicket of the match.
Peter Handscomb followed his incredible century with a second ball duck and besides some crisp hitting from Hastings (22), the Stars’ batting failed to match the bowling.
Rob Quiney made 7 and Tom Triffitt just 1.
Andrew Tye got revenge on Clint McKay by bowling the Stars’ bowler. Photo by Robert Cianflone. Source: Getty Images
Hastings (3-27) gave the Stars the perfect start when he claimed the wickets of experienced duo Michael Klinger (5) and Adam Voges (3) in his first two overs to leave the Scorchers in strife at 2-29 after six overs.
Test batsman Shaun Marsh and in-form Englishman Michael Carberry were left to rebuild the innings.
Carberry played his strokes from ball one on his way to a half century from 35 balls, while Marsh faced two less rocks in a more measured knock of 35.
Michael Carberry hits out on the way to a crucial half century. Photo by Robert Cianflone. Source: Getty Images
They guided the Scorchers to 2-69 at the midpoint of the innings, but their 69-run partnership came to a close when Marsh was caught on the boundary attacking Michael Beer’s (2-25) off spin.
Carberry was caught 16 balls later by Hastings on the same patch of WACA grass, playing a similar shot — one ball after raising his bat for a BBL 50 on the third consecutive occasion at the WACA.
John Hastings celebrates the wicket of Adam Voges. Photo by Robert Cianflone. Source: Getty Images
The Victorian finished his spell by removing the dangerous Nathan Coulter-Nile, who threatened with a pair of fours and twin sixes in a handy 22 from nine balls.
The win sees the Scorchers qualify for their fourth BBL grand final and gain another berth in the lucrative Twenty20 champions league tournament after the Australia summer.
Originally published as Scorchers too hot for travelling Stars