The Melbourne Stars have restricted Adelaide Strikers to the third-lowest score in BBL history in a crushing performance from the home side’s bowlers at the MCG on Thursday night.
Choosing to bat first on a pitch offering some assistance to the pace bowlers, the Strikers were never in the hunt for a big total and were restricted to 9-90.
James Faulkner (3-9 off four overs) and Sri Lanka import Lasith Malinga (2-8 off four) were in dazzling form for the Stars who boast a four-nil record this summer.
Opener Michael Klinger top-scored with 42 for the Strikers.
Jackson Bird removed Alex Hales caught at slip for five and Faulkner struck twice in the sixth over, dismissing Tim Ludeman (six) and Phil Hughes (duck) in consecutive deliveries.
Malinga produced an inswinging yorker to bowl Nathan Reardon for one at 4-41, leaving swing specialist and and TV commentator Damien Fleming in awe.
“That’s an amazing ball,” Fleming told Ten.
Luke Wright removed Shakib Al-Hasan (two) caught at deep point and Michael Neser was stumped off James Muirhead’s bowling at 6-57.
New batsman Kane Richardson ducked into a bouncer from Faulkner and called for a quick change of helmet in what was a maiden over from the left-armer, who conceded nine runs from his four overs.
Klinger was Faulkner’s third victim and Jon Holland was bowled by a yorker from Malinga. Kane Richardson was run out for 21.
Strikers’ coach Darren Berry said he hoped his pace attack, led by Shaun Tait, could also exploit the conditions.
“It’s been a nightmare. It has swung around a bit, nipped around,” Berry said.
“We thought there’d be a bit of nibble in it.”