Stars down Strikers in Adelaide

Updated December 28, 2012 10:47:16

A top-shelf showing from vintage batsman Brad Hodge inspired the Melbourne Stars to an eight-run victory against the Adelaide Strikers in Thursday night's Twenty20 match in Adelaide.

Hodge cracked a sparkling 88 from 58 balls as the Stars posted 8 for 175, with the Strikers finishing 4 for 167 in reply.

The Stars, with their fourth consecutive win, took second spot on the Big Bash League ladder from Adelaide.

The Strikers' never seriously threatened to reel in their target despite a star turn from Kieron Pollard (65 from 43 balls) and solid contributions from Callum Ferguson (35 from 28) and Tim Ludeman (30 from 21).

Adelaide's hopes of pinching a win before a sell-out 15,344 home crowd hinged on gun import Pollard.

But the West Indian could not engineer a big-hitting miracle despite whacking four sixes and five fours in his unbeaten knock.

The Strikers needed 27 to win from the final over and, after his side was mathematically out of the match, Pollard smashed two 100 metre-plus maximums and a four to add respectability to his side's score.

Melbourne's import Lasith Malinga was instrumental in restricting the home side, the Sri Lankan paceman taking 1 for 29 from four shrewd overs.

Fellow paceman James Faulkner also claimed an important 2 for 32 from four overs but his team-mate Hodge was the hero with a sensational performance with the bat.

Hodge underpinned the Stars' innings with the veteran dominating scoring - when dismissed in the 15th over, Hodge had made 88 of the visitors' 129 runs.

Two days shy of his 38th birthday, Hodge was vicious on all bowlers and plundered 10 fours and three sixes.

Hodge's assault set the Stars on a path towards a massive total, but when he was dismissed they lost momentum - his wicket started a slump of 6 for 32.

Hodge's opening partner Rob Quiney made 22 from 12 balls but no other Stars batsman passed 17 runs, while Adelaide quick Shaun Tait (2 for 36 from four overs) was the only multiple wicket taker for the home side.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, adelaide-5000, melbourne-3000

First posted December 27, 2012 23:18:04

View the original article here

Scorchers bury Strikers in Adelaide

Updated January 11, 2013 07:54:07

Shaun Marsh and his Perth Scorchers went on a record run spree to crush the Adelaide Strikers by 98 runs on Thursday night and earn a Big Bash League home semi-final.

Marsh smacked 79 from 60 balls to become the tournament's top run-scorer as Perth amassed 4 for 189 a record high score in this summer's Twenty20 series.

The Strikers then crashed to 91 all out in 18.3 overs in a woeful run chase to end their season in front of a sell-out 17,000-strong crowd at Adelaide Oval.

The win enabled Perth to snatch second spot from the Melbourne Stars and book a home semi-final next Wednesday night, while Adelaide's net run rate took such a hit that no result between Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday night will squeeze the Strikers into the semi-finals.

Marsh smashed eight fours and two sixes to top the run-scoring list with 328 ahead of Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch (309 runs), whose team will host a semi-final next Tuesday night.

Marsh and Herschelle Gibbs (54 from 34 balls) built a perfect platform for the Scorchers with a 95-run opening stand from 12.1 overs.

In the process, they took down Adelaide's Test spinner Nathan Lyon, whose only over cost 17 runs and included three consecutive fours to Marsh.

The in-form left-hander was dismissed in the penultimate over as Adam Voges (35 from 18 balls) continued the plundering of Adelaide's bowlers.

The Strikers' run chase was cruelled by early wickets, 2 for 5 after eight balls with Michael Klinger (0) and Travis Head (4) out.

Tim Ludeman (11), Nathan Reardon (0) and Callum Ferguson (13) soon followed and Adelaide was a hopeless 5 for 39 in the ninth over, requiring a run rate approaching 13 runs an over to win.

Scorchers paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile dismissed four batsmen yet curiously finished with 3 for 12.

Coulter-Nile had Kane Richardson, yet to score, out hit wicket but Perth skipper Simon Katich, in unexplained generosity, called the batsman back to the crease.

Richardson finished with 20, the highest score for the Strikers.

AAP

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted January 10, 2013 22:40:43

View the original article here

Adelaide makes strong defence against the Thunder

By Andrew McGarry

Updated December 20, 2012 22:44:47

Adelaide Strikers have become the first Big Bash team to successfully defend a total, beating the Sydney Thunder by 51 runs at the Olympic stadium.

The Thunder needed nearly nine an over after the Strikers scored 6 for 177, but they were always struggling after star import Chris Gayle was out for just 8.

Veteran slinger Shaun Tait was the big destroyer, taking the key wickets of Mark Cosgrove (8) and Azhar Mahmood (1) to put added pressure on Gayle.

Chris Rogers tried to keep the score ticking along but when Gayle tried to take a toll on his countryman Kieron Pollard only to hole out to Johan Botha in the deep, the Thunder were 3 for 40 in the eighth over and the game was slipping away.

Cameron Boyce ( 2 for 24) dismissed Sean Abbott (14) and Rogers (23), then Cameron Borgas was run out for 4, leaving the Thunder innings in tatters at 6 for 64.

Scott Coyte (33 off 15) went down fighting, but Kane Richardson (3 for 7) fell just short of a hat-trick after dismissing Coyte and Chris Tremain in successive balls.

Tait finished with 3 for 22. The home side were all out for 126 with eight balls left.

Earlier the Thunder had taken the safe option, winning the toss and putting Adelaide into bat - all 11 previous games in this year's Big Bash had been won by the chasing team.

The Strikers recovered after some stifling early bowling to register 0 for 46 in the six-over powerplay, and went on to be 0 for 75 at half-way.

Adam Zampa broke through in the 12th over, when his leg-break zipped past Tim Ludeman (46 off 39 balls) for a stumping by Carters and Adelaide were 1 for 81.

The key to the innings was the 16th over when Nathan Reardon and opener Michael Klinger launched into Zampa for 23 runs including two fours and two sixes.

The Strikers were then given a life when Reardon was dropped over the boundary for six by Zampa off the first ball of the 17th over, but four balls later the Thunder took one of the catches of the competition.

Reardon (42 off 20) went long and straight against the breeze - the ball looked like a six, but Cameron Borgas at long-on got both hands to it in mid-air and palmed it back over the line for Coyte to take the catch.

Twenty20 specialist paceman Dirk Nannes (4 for 17) then took over with a wicked spell, dismissing Klinger (60 off 46), Theo Doropoulos (0), Pollard (16 off 7 balls) and Callum Ferguson (0).

The result means the Thunder are winless from three games, while the Strikers have won two out of their three games.

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, sydney-2000, nsw, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted December 20, 2012 22:42:02

View the original article here

No edge for Adelaide as Gabba Test fizzles

By Adrian Crawford

Updated November 14, 2012 12:18:01

Neither skipper believed his side will carry an advantage or much momentum into the second Test in Adelaide, after the opening match in the series that will decide the world's top ranking ended in a fifth-day draw at the Gabba on Wednesday.

South Africa's second innings came to an end at 5 for 166, a lead of 51, with under an hour left on day five when Australian captain Michael Clarke and Proteas counterpart Graeme Smith agreed to call it a day.

It marked an anti-climactic end to a rollercoaster Test that lost day two to rain and saw mammoth first-innings batting efforts from both countries, including an incredible five centuries.

Clarke, fresh off his unbeaten knock of 259 that set a new individual record for the venue, said it was execution rather than preparedness that was lacking in his side's approach.

But he denied that the hosts will go into the second Test with a psychological edge after clawing back from a woeful 3 for 40 and appearing to be staring down the barrel of defeat on day three.

"At the end of the day there's no result in this Test match," Clarke told reporters.

"We have to win this series to get back to being the number one Test team in the world, so we have to do our best to push for a win at every opportunity.

"We just need to make sure we were as well-prepared as we were for this Test - we just have to execute better."

Smith concurred, saying the draw was the deserved outcome for both combatants and denying that Australia's impressive batting turn-around gave the hosts "moral high ground".

"Not really," he told Grandstand.

"I think our bowlers are a mature group and honestly there are a few things to improve on, but our guys have proven time and time again that they have the skills to prove that.

"We got the first one out of the way and I think we'll definitely improve for the next one."

Michael Hussey - who was in as good a position as Clarke to judge, given he spent 129 balls in the middle amassing his own ton - agreed with his captain's sentiments.

"It was a pretty good Test match," he told Grandstand.

"Both teams had to fight pretty hard throughout stages of the game - and it's 0-0 going into Adelaide.

"No team can take any more momentum or positives than the other team.

"I think a lot of credit has to go to Michael Clarke and Eddie Cowan, the way they played under enormous pressure was just fantastic.

"They were really positive; their defence was outstanding and had to stand up to a sustained South African attack of good pressure.

"They did a lot of hard yards for the boys, for the rest of us coming in anyway."

Clarke declared his side's innings closed at drinks on Tuesday morning at 5 for 565, a lead of 115 over South Africa (450) shortly after Hussey (100) reached his ton.

The onus was then on the Australian bowling attack to take the required nine scalps, minus of course the injured JP Duminy, to either skittle the Proteas and win outright or to set up a small run chase.

Neither outcome eventuated but Hussey said that was not a reflection on how the Aussies' bowlers performed on the day, amid speculation that Mitchell Starc or even Test discard Mitchell Johnson could be recalled for Adelaide.

"I thought the bowlers did a great job to be honest," he said.

"It's not up to me obviously but I thought all of them bowled very well, particularly in the second innings when the pitch - had flattened out a bit.

"There wasn't too much for them but I thought they bowled with a lot of discipline and you never know, with a bit of luck going our way they could have picked up a couple of wickets each so hopefully there isn't too many changes (in Adelaide)."

Luck was not the only factor working against bowlers from both sides; the length of their final strides seemed to cause strife as well with four wickets taken on no-balls throughout the game - including one that benefitted the Australian skipper.

Clarke saw the humorous side of the situation, but admitted it was also a serious issue for his pace stocks to quickly eliminate their overstepping before play begins at Adelaide Oval on November 22.

"We think there should be a hefty fine for every time you bowl a no-ball front foot in our team," he laughed, but the grin quickly disappeared.

"For there to be so many there must have been reasons.

"I know all the bowlers had difficulty with their rhythms. The pitch is actually quite high compared to where you run in so if you start your jump on top of the pitch generally you're over the front line for those guys with long delivery strides.

"But if you start your jump off the pitch they seem to fall a long way short and their rhythm doesn't feel great.

"I'm making excuses for all of them but I haven't seen that before in a Test match that's for sure.

"It's an area that we can certainly look at, we've been quite disciplined with our no-ball front foots, we work hard at training [on them] - and we'll continue to do them in Adelaide's preparation."

He said that despite the frustration of having a handful of appeals denied by umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden on Tuesday, the third-umpire reviews for front-foot no balls in the event of a wicket was the right approach, regardless of the time it takes to have a second look.

"I think it makes sense, I think any time you bowl a no-ball front foot it should be picked up," he said.

"The umpires on the ground are doing their best, that's for sure.

"They're probably just making extra sure when a wicket falls.

"I'd rather see them picked up than guys bowling the no-balls and still getting away with a wicket, especially being a batsman."

While his pace battery fell short of taking the 18 wickets required for what would have been a remarkable turnaround for victory, Clarke said he was not sure what the line-up would look like in Adelaide.

"I haven't even been in the change-rooms yet," he admitted.

"I have absolutely no idea. I'll firstly have a shower then organise to talk to selectors tonight, tomorrow or over the next few days."

Tags: cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, south-africa

First posted November 13, 2012 19:59:02

View the original article here

Bulls flounder in Adelaide

Updated October 24, 2012 20:04:36

South Australian all-rounder Dan Christian claimed two key wickets on Wednesday to give the home side a slight edge over Queensland after the second day of the Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.

The Bulls reached 3 for 135 at stumps in reply to South Australia's first innings of 9 for 402 declared.

Christian dismissed Test hopeful Usman Khawaja for 19 and Peter Forrest for 4 to leave Queensland struggling at 3 for 55.

Khawaja was caught at first slip by Michael Klinger when playing forward defensively.

And Forrest also soon departed, getting a fine edge to wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman from a forward prod outside off stump.

But an unbroken 80-run partnership between Wade Townsend (50 not out) and Joe Burns (50 not out) steadied Queensland.

Earlier, the Redbacks declared about 45 minutes after lunch following Callum Ferguson's highest first-class score.

Ferguson made 164, surpassing his previous best of 132, in an innings which underpinned South Australia's healthy total.

Ferguson's highest first-class score left lasting impressions on Bulls coach Lehmann and his Redbacks counterpart Darren Berry.

"He obviously didn't play too many risky shots for the whole innings," Lehmann said.

"It was good to see him play well, he's obviously close to playing for Australia ... he looked the goods."

Berry said Ferguson's 342-ball knock was just the innings he, and national selectors, have been craving from the renowned dasher.

"He has had the riot act read," Berry said.

"We put a lot of acid on him to go big, not just get a hundred.

"It's the best innings that I have seen him play ... I have seen him play some brilliant innings but this was an ugly hundred - Callum Ferguson doesn't normally make ugly hundreds.

"(Australian selector) Rod Marsh has been here watching this game and Fergie has put his name up - but he has got to do that more and more often."

The stylish right-hander combined with wicketkeeper-batsman Ludeman in a 162-run stand for South Australia's sixth wicket.

Ludeman made 78, while Bulls paceman Ben Cutting took three wickets.

Queensland skipper James Hopes, spinner Nathan Hauritz and quick Luke Feldman each claimed two victims.

The Redbacks, seeking to snap a winless streak in the Shield dating back to November 2010, declared about 45 minutes after lunch on day two - and the pace of their innings attracted criticism from Lehmann.

"I would have liked them to be a little more proactive but I understand what they're trying to do," Lehmann said.

"We don't really like playing for first-innings points but they batted quite slowly in a normal game of cricket.

"We will just have to sum up what happens from here, we're in no control of that at the moment.

"We don't like to play for two (points), it doesn't win you anything really."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted October 24, 2012 19:11:58

View the original article here

Part of Adelaide Oval ready for cricket

Updated October 08, 2012 13:51:00

Part of Adelaide Oval is being reopened for a Sheffield Shield game this week.

The Stadium Management Authority has opened the first stage of the redeveloped oval, where South Australia will play Tasmania from Tuesday.

The Oval's northern mound has been transformed as part of the $535 million redevelopment and has now decking shaded by Moreton Bay fig trees.

The Authority said there would be enough room for 2,800 seated and 3,500 standing spectators.

Authority CEO Andrew Daniels believed the heritage value of the oval had not been compromised by the work done: "To effectively extend the hill out and around these famous Moreton Bays, to really bring the famous scoreboard even more into play into this Adelaide Oval and also to have people have the opportunity to have this sort of chill-out area up here on top of the hill looking out over these beautiful trees and the Adelaide parklands."

Tags: urban-development-and-planning, cricket, sa, adelaide-5000

First posted October 08, 2012 11:35:12

View the original article here

Starc left out for Adelaide Test

Updated January 23, 2012 22:02:19

Australia's new rotation policy faced its first major test on Monday and was dismissed as quickly as India's openers have been throughout this summer.

Under the policy announced two weeks ago, hard-working duo Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus should have been prime candidates for 12th-man duties for Tuesday's fourth Test in Adelaide.

But skipper and selector Michael Clarke wanted his best eleven on the paddock and his wish has been granted.

Young quick Mitchell Starc was handed the role of drinks waiter with off-spinner Nathan Lyon coming back into the team alongside the pace trio of Siddle, Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris.

Clarke, whose men hold a 3-0 advantage in the four-match series, says he is determined to lift his fourth-placed side back to the top ranking.

"In my opinion it was about picking the best eleven to win the Test," Clarke told a news conference.

"I have said that from the start, that we want to win every Test match that we play and this series is no different.

"I guess winning the last two Test matches in less than five days has helped everyone recover as well so all the guys are fighting fit and ready to go."

After Australia's four-man pace attack ran through India's batting line-up twice in two-and-a-half days on the bouncy Perth pitch in the third Test, Clarke is expecting a flat batting track in Adelaide and the match is likely to last five days.

And while Lyon can expect to get plenty of work, Clarke says reverse swing will be a major factor with variable bounce coming into play late in the game.

"We know these conditions are probably going to suit India a lot more than where we have come from in Perth so we are going to have to be at our best to beat them," Clarke said.

Clarke said Lyon, with a return of just 2 for 180 so far in the series, should not be expected to suddenly be the team's go-to man in the second half of the match on a wearing pitch.

"I definitely have a lot of confidence in 'Lyno'. I would hate to put that sort of expectation on him," Clarke said.

It will be Lyon's tenth Test and first at his home ground, where he's a former groundsman.

India is yet to name a team although Wriddhiman Saha will replace wicketkeeper/batsman and skipper MS Dhoni who has been suspended for one match for his side's slow over-rate in Perth.

Acting captain Virender Sehwag said the tourists were considering playing two spinners, Ravi Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha, in the Adelaide Test.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted January 23, 2012 12:10:17

View the original article here

Spin crucial in Adelaide Test: curator

Updated January 20, 2012 20:24:45

Former Adelaide Oval groundsman Nathan Lyon can expect to get plenty of turn out of the pitch for next week's fourth Test against India.

Second-year Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough is pleased with how the wicket is coming along and says it is the same pitch that was used for Australia's fifth-day loss to England last summer.

"The heat will definitely dry the pitch out and it's reasonably dry already," Hough said on Friday.

"There'll be a little in it on day one, but Adelaide Oval traditionally is a good batting pitch with a bit of spin on days three, four and five.

"Adelaide Oval will always produce spin later on as the game goes.

"Normally there will be a little bit of inconsistent bounce on days four and five, so I wouldn't expect anything else."

Hough said he had left a bit more grass on the wicket this year.

"We're trying to get a pitch with as much bounce and carry as we can possibly get," he said.

"We want something that will settle down well for the batters on days two and three and variable bounce on days four and five and something in there for the spinners."

Hough said he felt no pressure to make the match go the full journey after the Perth Test only went for two-and-a-half days.

"I'm just here to produce a sporting pitch. I'll leave it up to the teams to fight that out," he said.

Australia fielded a four-man pace attack in last week's Perth Test as it claimed victory by an innings and surged to a 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

But either Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Ben Hilfenhaus or Peter Siddle will have to make way for Lyon's return on Tuesday as the 24-year-old prepares to play his 10th Test and first on his home ground.

It will be an emotional moment for Lyon who has taken 24 Test wickets at 30.04 in nine matches since making his debut in August 2011 in Sri Lanka.

Lyon has come such a long way in 12 months, considering last summer the offspinner could only manage 12 Sheffield Shield victims at 43.00 and now he is tipping an in-form quick out of the Test side.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted January 20, 2012 20:20:49

View the original article here

Gillard announces Adelaide Oval funding

Updated December 28, 2011 17:01:33

The Federal Government will provide $30 million towards the Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

The money will help to pay for 375 underground car parks and a wetland walk on the oval side of the River Torrens.

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard made the announcement at the oval this morning.

She says the funding will ease concerns about traffic congestion in the city during sporting events.

"What we've announced today is going to meet the needs of the local community so they're going to be reassured there will not be cars across their driveways," she said.

Three hundred of the car parks will be built beneath the new eastern stand with the remaining 75 to go beneath the indoor cricket centre at the oval's southern end.

The Prime Minister was flanked by South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) president Ian McLachlan, Acting Premier John Rau and Member for Adelaide Kate Ellis.

Ms Ellis conceded the contribution was less than the State Government initially asked for.

"I think South Australians would expect their treasurers to be asking for perhaps more money than they're going to get in the end. We think that this is a fair contribution."

SACA president Ian McLachlan says the funding will cover most of the remaining costs of the project.

"This extra 30 million really rounds out most of the important things that need to be done. There are some other things that we could do, but they're not essential," he said.

The State Opposition's treasury spokesman, Iain Evans, says the purpose of the funding is to cover the cost of a budget blow-out.

"Before the election, the State Government were telling everyone in South Australia that they could build the oval for $450 million and not a cent more," he said.

"The total cost now is well over $600 million, and the $30 million today primarily goes to paying for car parking that was already part of the project anyway."

The chief executive of the Infrastructure Department, Rod Hook, says the main purpose of the money is to provide extra parking space in the parklands.

"The two underground car parks, whilst they will contribute to support parking for major footy or cricket games, they will be mainly used for functions down here at the oval in non-major event days. That's 375 cars that otherwise may be parked around the surface in the northern parklands. Those cars can go underground and out of sight for the normal non-major event day," he said.

"We were already intending to do the 300 car parks underneath the eastern stand because that's part of the contract documents. The fact that the Federal Government is paying for that gives us roughly 15 million to redirect into other aspects of the project.

"We hadn't made a commitment to do the car park underneath the indoor cricket centre. We knew that we had to make a decision by the end of January on whether we had the funds to commit to that or not.

"This announcement today means we'll immediately commit to that."

The decision ends uncertainty about the Federal Government's contribution to the redevelopment, which was one of several infrastructure projects put on hold after the Queensland floods.

The State Government will spend $535 million on the redevelopment.

Work has begun on the project and is expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2014 AFL season.

Tags: states-and-territories, federal-government, sport, cricket, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000, sa

First posted December 28, 2011 08:25:12

View the original article here

Ferguson stays in Adelaide with Strikers

Posted July 7, 2011 15:11:00

Fringe Australian batsman Callum Ferguson has rejected lucrative interstate offers and will play with his home-town Adelaide Strikers in the revamped Twenty20 competition.

Ferguson on Thursday said he will play for the Adelaide franchise in the competition starting in December.

The 26-year-old strokeplayer received several offers from other franchises, but decided to stay in South Australia.

"This city has seen some great success in the T20 format recently so it would be great to see it continue," Ferguson - on tour with Australia A in Zimbabwe - said in a statement.

Ferguson is among a batch of cricketers, who were part of SA's T20 champion side last summer, to commit to the Strikers.

Batsman Dan Harris, Nathan Lyon, captain Michael Klinger, Aiden Blizzard, Aaron O'Brien, Kane Richardson, Tom Cooper and Cameron Borgas will also remain in Adelaide.

- AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, adelaide-5000

View the original article here

Adelaide farewell for Terry Jenner

Posted May 31, 2011 06:47:00

Influential Australian cricket identity Terry Jenner will be farewelled at a funeral in Adelaide on Tuesday.

A host of cricket greats, including Shane Warne, will attend a service for Jenner at the Adelaide Oval.

Jenner, who died last Wednesday aged 66, played nine Test matches for Australia in the 1970s but is best remembered as a spin bowling coach.

His successful union with fellow leg spinner Warne helped Jenner return to mainstream society after serving 18 months in jail for fraud in 1988-89.

Jenner, who said he stole money to pay gambling debts, is the only Australian Test cricketer to be jailed.

The leg-spinning all-rounder suffered a major heart attack last year and had been restricted to his Adelaide home for some time.

Warne will deliver a eulogy at the evening funeral with other guests to include former Test captains Ian and Greg Chappell and Allan Border.

- AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, sa, adelaide-5000

View the original article here