The injury replacement for marquee man Dale Steyn tore Hobart Hurricanes to shreds as Melbourne Stars extended their unbeaten start to the Big Bash League with a 52-run win at Moe’s Ted Summerton Reserve on Sunday.
Power hitter Marcus Stoinis reminded national selectors of his ability by smashing an unbeaten 81 off 54 balls, which put the Stars in a strong position at 4-163.
But it was Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf – a relative unknown when he was plucked from grade cricket in Hobart on the eve of the BBL – who stole the show.
The 26-year-old claimed match-best figures of 5-27 from four overs, two days after taking 2-20 on debut in the Stars’ win over Brisbane Heat.
Stars all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (2-15) did his best work with the ball as Hobart was reduced to 3-44 during the power play and Rauf then spearheaded the fall of regular wickets.
The Hurricanes were eventually skittled for 111 in the 16th over.
Tweet from @StarsBBL
The win left the Stars with a 2-0 record before South Africa pace legend Steyn’s likely debut in their meeting with Adelaide Strikers on the Gold Coast on Friday.
The 36-year-old’s return to action from a side strain means Rauf, now the competition’s leading wicket-taker, must depart.
Steyn completed the warm-up in Moe and declared himself fit to play, but competition rules dictated he could not be included after he was left out of the initial 13-man squad.
It mattered little to the result as Stoinis tilted the match the Stars’ way.
He punished Hobart’s sloppy fielding with seven fours and four sixes in his sensational knock.
But it could have been a much different story if he had not been gifted two early reprieves.
On the first ball he faced, Stoinis offered a sharp return catch to Clive Rose, who put it down.
Soon after, the powerful right-hander was on just five when he skied a shot that fell safely between Riley Meredith and Qais Ahmad as they failed to cope with the sun in their eyes.
Stoinis’ opening partner Nic Maddinson peeled off eight boundaries in his 40 off 39 balls to help lay the groundwork for the Stars.
Fast bowler Meredith (3-27) was the pick of the Hurricanes’ attack after left-arm orthodox spinner Rose (0-12) sent down three tight overs during the opening power play.
Rose produced the best score in BBL history as a No.10 batsman with an unbeaten 32 from 18 balls.
He and opener Caleb Jewell (25 off 21) were the only Hurricanes batsmen to offer any real resistance to the Stars’ attack.
The post Big Bash: Melbourne Stars extend unbeaten run against Hobart Hurricanes appeared first on The New Daily.
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