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PACEMAN Lasith Malinga produced the fireworks on a damp night at the WACA as he propelled the Melbourne Stars to a crushing 10-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers in their Big Bash League clash. The home side were dismissed for just 69 inside 16 overs, the lowest team total in Australian domestic T20 history, with only Adam Voges (14) and Hilton Cartwright (17) managing to reach double figures.
The Stars then raced to 0-29 off just two overs in reply before a lengthy rain delay threatened to save the hosts and earn them a thoroughly underserved point.
But the covers eventually came off and the single delivery required to hand the Melbourne side their victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system was bowled.
Looking to bounce back from their first-up defeat at the hands of the Adelaide Strikers, the Scorchers needed their top order to fire, but instead they were blitzed by an incredible display of pace bowling from Malinga, who put in a record-breaking display of 6-7 from his four overs.
His trademark yorkers accounted for Marcus North (one), Tom Triffitt (four), Nathan Coulter-Nile (0) and Joe Mennie (two), while debutant Marcus Stoinis (nine) and Cartwright were forced into wild slashes which were gleefully snapped up by Rob Quiney and David Hussey respectively.
Perth did rally briefly and move from 4-16 past the 50 mark, but once Malinga returned to the attack, the procession back to the rooms swiftly resumed.
The former Sri Lanka Test star received solid support from both James Faulkner (2-16) and Shane Warne (1-9), whose three-over spell was a vast improvement upon his forgettable display in last week’s season-opener against the Renegades.
With Shaun Marsh ruled out by a hamstring strain, North returned to the home side and skipper Simon Katich was moved up the order, but the experienced duo managed just one run between them, while the Scorchers tail that made such a habit of wagging vigorously last season also had no answer to the Malinga-inspired Stars attack.
An expensive three-over spell of 0-28 from Clint Mackay was the only minor blemish on the Melbourne side’s performance in the field and when they began their less-than- daunting run chase, opener Luke Wright was clearly in the mood to finish the job in a hurry.
The English import had raced to 23 off just 11 balls before the heavens opened and as the subsequent delay stretched past the hour mark, the Scorchers’ hopes of escaping with a share of the spoils courtesy of an abandonment began to grow.
Eventually, however, the rain eased and amid a chorus of boos from the few frustrated fans who had stayed in the ground, Cartwright completed the formalities by sending down the final delivery of the night. (CA)
The Stars then raced to 0-29 off just two overs in reply before a lengthy rain delay threatened to save the hosts and earn them a thoroughly underserved point.
But the covers eventually came off and the single delivery required to hand the Melbourne side their victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system was bowled.
Looking to bounce back from their first-up defeat at the hands of the Adelaide Strikers, the Scorchers needed their top order to fire, but instead they were blitzed by an incredible display of pace bowling from Malinga, who put in a record-breaking display of 6-7 from his four overs.
His trademark yorkers accounted for Marcus North (one), Tom Triffitt (four), Nathan Coulter-Nile (0) and Joe Mennie (two), while debutant Marcus Stoinis (nine) and Cartwright were forced into wild slashes which were gleefully snapped up by Rob Quiney and David Hussey respectively.
Perth did rally briefly and move from 4-16 past the 50 mark, but once Malinga returned to the attack, the procession back to the rooms swiftly resumed.
The former Sri Lanka Test star received solid support from both James Faulkner (2-16) and Shane Warne (1-9), whose three-over spell was a vast improvement upon his forgettable display in last week’s season-opener against the Renegades.
With Shaun Marsh ruled out by a hamstring strain, North returned to the home side and skipper Simon Katich was moved up the order, but the experienced duo managed just one run between them, while the Scorchers tail that made such a habit of wagging vigorously last season also had no answer to the Malinga-inspired Stars attack.
An expensive three-over spell of 0-28 from Clint Mackay was the only minor blemish on the Melbourne side’s performance in the field and when they began their less-than- daunting run chase, opener Luke Wright was clearly in the mood to finish the job in a hurry.
The English import had raced to 23 off just 11 balls before the heavens opened and as the subsequent delay stretched past the hour mark, the Scorchers’ hopes of escaping with a share of the spoils courtesy of an abandonment began to grow.
Eventually, however, the rain eased and amid a chorus of boos from the few frustrated fans who had stayed in the ground, Cartwright completed the formalities by sending down the final delivery of the night. (CA)
