Adelaide Strikers used some old tricks in the new Big Bash League to crush Melbourne Renegades by 67 runs on Sunday.
The Strikers blasted 5 for 189 from their 20 overs before suffocating the disappointing Renegades, who limped to 122 all out in 17.5 overs at Adelaide Oval.
Strikers coach Darren Berry masterminded a Twenty20 title for South Australia last season and he adopted the same winning blueprint for the new Adelaide entity.
Berry's opening batsmen Daniel Harris (49 from 33 balls) and Michael Klinger (46 from 35 deliveries) bravely built a run-scoring platform, as they did last summer.
Then the Strikers relied on a miserly spin bowling trio - Aaron O'Brien (2 for 34), Johan Botha (2 for 17) and Nathan Lyon (1 for 26) - to turn the screws.
Their stingy spells forced Renegades batsmen to take risks against the likes of quick Kane Richardson, who cleaned up with 3 for 27.
Strikers captain Klinger said the comprehensive win over the Renegades was a "great way to start the tournament."
"Everything went pretty much according to plan, I couldn't be happier with the way the guys played," he said.
Only Glenn Maxwell (46 from 31 balls) and captain Andrew McDonald (35 from 31 deliveries) passed a dozen runs in a paltry reply to a Strikers' total underpinned by an opening stand by Harris and Klinger of 86 from 9.5 overs.
Harris slammed five fours and two sixes in his 33-ball knock, while his partner Klinger also thrived.
The Strikers' middle order cashed in on the opening salvo, notably Aiden Blizzard (30 from 18 balls) and Cameron Borgas.
Borgas produced a compelling cameo, smacking an unbeaten 28 from just nine balls - including 24 from a Shaun Tait over featuring an audacious ramp shot that sailed about 80 metres and over the fine leg boundary.
"It's a pretty gutsy move to do that to Shaun Tait, I think it will be the shot of the whole tournament," Klinger said.
Tait finished with unflattering figures of 1 for 41 from three overs and his pace partner Dirk Nannes (1 for 38 from three overs) was also expensive.
Only spinners Aaron Heal (2 for 32 from four overs) and Pakistani Shahid Afridi (0 for 27 from four overs) survived the Strikers' batting onslaught.
Renegades' top-scorer Maxwell said his side failed with ball and bat to exert the required pressure on the Strikers.
"We missed a few opportunities when we were bowling to put a bit of pressure on them," Maxwell said.
"And losing a few early wickets in our first six overs with the bat didn't help our cause."
AAP
Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, vic, melbourne-3000 First posted December 18, 2011 21:19:41
No comments:
Post a Comment