Melbourne Stars maintained their flawless start to the BBL season with a six-wicket victory against the Adelaide Strikers, powered by an explosive innings from opening batter Sam Harper. The win on Tuesday night at Adelaide Oval saw the Stars chase down a target of 156 with 11 balls to spare, reaching 161 for 4.
The Strikers set a competitive total of 155 for 8, with captain Matt Short top-scoring with 56 from 42 balls. However, Stars’ pace duo Haris Rauf and Tom Curran wreaked havoc, claiming three wickets apiece. Curran’s 3 for 35 and Rauf’s 3 for 28 kept the Strikers under constant pressure throughout their innings.
Stars’ opening pair faced a setback as Tom Rogers was sidelined with a shoulder injury, but Harper and Joe Clarke quickly set a dominant tone. The pair smashed 52 runs off the first 24 balls, giving the Stars a strong foundation for the chase. Harper went on to score 55 from 36 balls, while Clarke contributed 23 from 19 deliveries before being dismissed by legspinner Lloyd Pope.
The opening partnership reached 67 before Pope’s clever wrong’un removed Clarke at the end of the seventh over. Harper soon followed, skying a delivery from Jamie Overton in the tenth over, but by then the Stars were well-placed at 90 for 2.
Glenn Maxwell fell cheaply for just 2, but the middle order ensured there were no hiccups. Campbell Kellaway struck 28 from 22 balls, while Marcus Stoinis remained unbeaten on 32 from 22 deliveries, sealing the win with a six in the final moments.
Earlier, the Strikers’ innings had been disrupted early on by Curran’s brilliance. In the second over, he took two wickets in three balls, removing Chris Lynn for 4 and Jason Sangha for a duck, setting the tone for the visitors’ dominance.
Short and Liam Scott managed to steady the innings with a 50-run stand from 34 balls, but the Strikers couldn’t maintain momentum. Stoinis trapped Scott lbw for 25, and Short was fortunate to survive a dropped catch off Curran, which allowed him to reach his half-century from 38 balls.
Short’s dismissal at 110 for 4 in the 14th over left the Strikers struggling to accelerate in the latter stages. Rauf then struck twice in consecutive balls in the 19th over, ensuring the home side could not mount a late comeback.
Stars’ chase was characterized by aggressive intent and controlled power hitting. Harper’s fast start and Clarke’s supporting knock, followed by the steady contributions of Kellaway and Stoinis, highlighted the team’s depth and adaptability in batting.
With this win, Melbourne Stars continue their unbeaten run to start the season, showcasing a balanced combination of bowling firepower led by Curran and Rauf, and explosive batting at the top and middle order. The team now looks to build on this momentum as the BBL season progresses.
