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Match Report:

Scorecard

Superb Scorchers fly into another Big Final

Melbourne Stars' semi-final curse continues as Perth make it four-straight BBL finals

Melbourne Stars’ finals curse has continued for a fourth-straight season in a low-scoring thriller against Perth Scorchers, who valiantly defended their total of 7-144 in front of a full house at The Furnace to book their annual spot in the Big Final with an 18-run victory.

The Stars looked to be cruising midway through their innings at 1-67 with English pair Luke Wright and Kevin Pietersen dictating terms, but for the third time in four seasons, they came unstuck in a semi-final against the relentless Scorchers, spectacularly losing 9-59 to completely fall out of the contest.

The Scorchers now face Sydney Sixers in Canberra on Wednesday evening, and will be looking to become the first BBL side to go back-to-back in the tournament’s brief history.

Andrew Tye continued his breakthrough tournament, claiming 4-18 to make amends for earlier facing out a maiden over to complete Perth’s innings in the most remarkably low-key fashion.

Andrew Tye bowled superbly for 4-18

But to single out Tye would be doing the rest of the Scorchers attack a disservice, as they again produced a superb all-round effort and continued their happy knack of expertly defending small totals in BBL|04.

Earlier, John Hastings (3-27) got the jump on Scorchers quick Jason Behrendorff as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker during a high-class spell, removing Michael Klinger (5) and Adam Voges (3) in quick succession to put the visitors well on top at 2-19.

Klinger top-edged an attempted pull shot to Clint McKay at fine leg, while Voges couldn’t avoid a diving Cameron White at short cover as the pressure fell right back on Shaun Marsh and Michael Carberry.

The pair put on 68 before Marsh, who never quite found his groove in making 35 (34) looked to up the tempo but succeeded only in picking out Jackson Bird at long off from the bowling of Michael Beer.

Ashton Turner (one) came and went, edging Boland through to Tom Triffitt, and when Carberry fell soon after for a well-made 50, the Scorchers had lost 3-12 and were in serious strife at 5-99.

Carberry top scored with 50 for the Scorchers

Sam Whiteman’s 11-ball cameo of 14 kept the score ticking along but was all too brief, leaving the returning Nathan Coulter-Nile to do the bulk of the big hitting at the death.

Coulter-Nile managed what proved to be a crucial 22 from nine deliveries, before he too nicked behind as Hastings returned to collect another wicket.

Tye’s failure to add a single run in the final over looked to be a costly finale to the innings for the home side, but the paceman’s double breakthrough of Wright (31) and then Peter Handscomb (0) in the 11th over swung the contest.

Coulter-Nile then followed suit in the 15th over, removing first Rob Quiney (7) and then danger man Pietersen (31) in the space of three balls to leave the Stars reeling at 5-88.

It only got worse from there for the visitors, who succumbed to the suffocating attack of the Scorchers, just as the Sixers, Strikers and Hurricanes have done before them this season.