Kevin Pietersen hit five fours and two sixes during his 36-ball 62 © Cricket Australia/Getty Images
On Thursday, one of the BBL’s hoodoos rolled on, as Adelaide Strikers became the fourth consecutive table-toppers to fail to make the final. A day later, one was lifted, as the Melbourne Stars, after the pain of losing four semi-finals, finally made the final. On Sunday, the Big Bash League will have a new winner, as Stars take on Sydney Thunder at the MCG. Whoever wins, however, will have a captain from the same family, as Thunder’s Mike Hussey, in his last game in Australia, takes on Stars’ David.
Stars had put up an excellent performance to limit the Scorchers to 139; Dan Worrall’s angled run had produced the goods in the powerplay and at the death, with clever swing and a nagging line, while the spinners were superb, with Adam Zampa’s leggies tough to get away and Michael Beer’s swerving anglers, which often resembled medium pace, proved to be equally parsimonious.
The chase was not going to be easy. But as soon as Kevin Pietersen, who put together a measured, mini masterpiece, was at the crease, Stars looked in control. The sight of Pietersen shadow-batting in the middle two hours before the game, inspecting the pitch, and loosening his limbs, was an interesting, arresting one. Say what you will about Pietersen, but nobody in the game prepares better.
Full report to follow
Will Macpherson writes on cricket for the Guardian, ESPNcricinfo and All Out Cricket. @willis_macp
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo