Afghan spinner's swansong ends in Adelaide defeat as Melbourne slump to fourth defeat in five games
Match Report:
ScorecardStrikers roll Stars as Rashid exits Big Bash in style
Adelaide Strikers have jumped into third spot on the KFC BBL ladder with a five-wicket win over Melbourne Stars, but they'll be without star leg-spinner Rashid Khan for the rest of the tournament.
Rashid had a typically decisive impact on the match, taking two big wickets and finishing unbeaten on four from three balls as the home side triumphed with an over to spare.
After winning the bat flip and electing to bat first, the Stars only lost two wickets in the first 10 overs but struggled for momentum, and when Rashid (2-29) took two wickets in as many balls, including Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck, the Strikers were well on top.
Rashid Khan gets Glenn Maxwell out ... FIRST BALL!#BBL10 | @BKTtires pic.twitter.com/LqHnedu3Ex%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 11, 2021
Marcus Stoinis loomed as the saviour for the BBL|09 runners up but when he fell for 47 in the 12th over, the Stars looked headed for a sub-par total.
However, a splendid return knock from Nic Maddinson, who hit a crucial 48no from number five – including sixes from the final two balls of the innings – allowed Melbourne to scramble to a defendable total at 7-149.
Chasing 150 to win, the Strikers innings followed a similar pattern to the Stars', with wickets falling regularly as starts were made but no player got beyond 40.
After Phil Salt's 31 from 22 at the top of the order, Jonathan Wells (36), Alex Carey (21) and Jake Weatherald (19) all played solid roles through the run chase to get their side to within striking distance in the final overs, though an impressive spell from Stars leggie Adam Zampa (2-20) kept his team very much in the contest.
Alex Carey chases the Bash Boost... and loses his wicket! #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/RX5115jryv%E2%80%94 KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 11, 2021
Ultimately, even Zampa's feats weren't enough for the Stars, who take the one Bash Boost point out of the match but find themselves in seventh spot after a fourth defeat in five matches.
Adelaide Strikers XI: Matthew Renshaw, Phil Salt, Alex Carey (c/wk), Jonathan Wells, Jake Weatherald, Ryan Gibson, Rashid Khan, Daniel Worrall, Danny Briggs, Wes Agar, Harry Conway. X-factor subs: Harry Nielsen, Cam Valente
Melbourne Stars XI: Marcus Stoinis, Andre Fletcher, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Nic Maddinson, Hilton Cartwright, Seb Gotch (wk), Adam Zampa, Sam Rainbird, Liam Hatcher, Haris Rauf. X-factor subs: Ben Dunk, Zahir Khan