Cooper Connolly Extends Scorchers’ Dominance Over Stars on Opening Night
Perth Scorchers: 150/4 (Connolly 64, Turner 37, Curran 1-25) beat Melbourne Stars: 146/9 (Curran 37, Stoinis 37, Richardson 3-19, Morris 2-30) by six wickets.
Cooper Connolly shined again at the Optus Stadium, hitting a crucial half-century to help the Perth Scorchers beat the Melbourne Stars in the BBL season opener. The Scorchers, known for their strong record against the Stars, showed dominance in front of a packed crowd.
Chasing 147, the Scorchers struggled early and were 37/3. But Connolly and captain Ashton Turner turned things around with a solid 68-run partnership. Connolly, who recently recovered from a hand injury, scored 64 from 51 balls. Turner finished the chase calmly, ensuring another win for his team.
The game saw some scary moments when Stars batter Hilton Cartwright got injured. He dived at deep point to stop a boundary and appeared to hurt his neck. Medical staff brought out a stretcher and a neck brace, and he was taken off in a mini-ambulance. Fans gave him a big round of applause as he left the field.
The Scorchers celebrated their seventh straight win over the Stars, cheered on by a record crowd of 30,649 for a BBL season opener.
Connolly and Turner lift weakened Scorcher’s Batting
The Stars scored 146 for 9, which seemed a bit low. But there were worries about the Scorchers’ batting because they were missing key players. Aaron Hardie was injured, and Josh Inglis was with Australia’s Test squad.
All eyes were on New Zealand opener Finn Allen, who impressed in practice games with some huge hits. He didn’t wait to settle in during his Scorchers debut. On the very first ball, he smashed a massive six off Adam Milne, sending the orange-clad fans into a frenzy.
But on the next delivery, Milne bowled Allen out. Things got worse for the Scorchers as English batters Keaton Jennings and Matt Hurst struggled with the extra bounce on the pitch.
As usual, Ashton Turner came in and steadied the innings. He started slowly, letting Cooper Connolly take charge. Connolly, who prefers batting at No. 6, showed his adaptability by hitting his first-ever BBL half-century. However, he couldn’t stay till the end, getting out during the power surge in the 14th over.
Turner, who has missed most of the season due to injuries, finished the job in style. His unbeaten 37 guided the Scorchers to their target in the 18th over, sealing a solid win.
Same ol’ Scorchers Attack
The Scorchers’ bowling attack started the new season just as strong as ever. This group of bowlers, known for their skill, delivered another powerful performance.
Left-arm fast bowler Jason Behrendorff once again showed why he’s so dangerous with the new ball. While he didn’t take any wickets in his first two overs, his tight bowling helped force early mistakes from Joe Clarke and Sam Harper.
Behrendorff swung the ball beautifully, starting the season with a maiden over. His pressure paid off when Jhye Richardson took advantage at the other end. Richardson trapped Sam Harper lbw, flashing a big grin as the umpire raised his finger. The decision stood even after a review.
Richardson also claimed the wicket of Beau Webster in the 17th over, wrapping up a strong showing.
The Scorchers’ attack looked complete and in top form. Lance Morris bowled at speeds close to 145 km/h, while left-arm spinners Ashton Agar and Connolly each grabbed a wicket in their returns from injury. It was a true team effort.
Stoinis Starts Captaincy Reign well Before run-out
The Melbourne Stars are starting a fresh chapter. They are a big-name team but have never won a title. Marcus Stoinis is now the captain, taking over from Glenn Maxwell, who led the team for five seasons before stepping down.
Stoinis came in to bat during a tough moment, but he handled the pressure well. He grew up playing on fast and bouncy pitches in Western Australia, so he was ready for the challenge. He took on the bowlers with confidence, smashing Morris’ speedy deliveries and hitting a massive six off Agar. That six made him the sixth player in Big Bash League history to hit 100 sixes.
As batting got easier, Stoinis tried to hit every ball hard. He swung at a full delivery from Richardson so powerfully that his bat snapped in half. A couple of balls later, he ran for a quick single, but Tye pulled off an amazing direct hit from mid-on, knocking down the stumps. Stoinis knew he was out and looked furious, throwing his head back and tossing his broken bat into the air.
He walked off the field after scoring 37 runs from 33 balls. Later, Tom Curran, a new player from the Sydney Sixers, boosted the Stars with a quick 37 runs from just 19 balls. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The Stars’ bowling attack, missing Scott Boland, couldn’t defend their low score, and they lost the match.
