Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder, Big Bash League 2019, Challenger

END OF OVER:
20 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 166/8 (29 runs required, RR: 8.30)

Chris Tremain0 (3b)
Nathan McAndrew1 (3b)

Haris Rauf4-0-17-3
Nathan Coulter-Nile4-0-29-2

Melbourne Stars into the final winning by 28 runs! The Stars will head to Sydney to face the Sixers and try for redemption if the rain holds off. The game was set up by Marcus Stoinis and Nick Larkin. Both men batted superbly for 83 and shared a 117-run stand. They had some luck but capitalised. The Thunder were sloppy in the field. The Stars were outstanding in the field by comparison. Nathan Coulter-Nile ran out Alex Hales and then knocked over Usman Khawaja. Then it was all Haris Rauf. He took 3 for 17 to ice the game.

Nick Larkin is Player of the Match for his 83 not out from 49. Larkin on Seven: "I had a bit of luck. Kept picking out the fielders early but Stoin kept me in the game and he was outstanding."

JUZER BATLIWALA: "What is the result if the final is rained off. Is the trophy shared ? Or do Stars win because of higher points during the league phase ? Or do Sixers win because they defeated Stars in the qualifier ??" The Sixers will win if it is rained off.

Roy: "Really good to see NCN back in the game. Could be key to have three excellent fit bowlers in the finals to match the Sixers' attack."

James: "You have to say that 3/17 off 4 is a stunning return for Haris Rauf."

Great performance by the Melbourne Stars. Thanks for your company from the MCG. Join us on Saturday night for the BBL final at the SCG between the Sydney Sixers and the Stars. Hopefully the weather holds off.

19.6

Haris Rauf to Tremain, no run, brilliant slower ball to finish it. Another swing and miss

19.5

Haris Rauf to Tremain, no run, bouncer, over middle, he backs away and ducks late. That was rapid!

19.4

Haris Rauf to Tremain, no run, slower ball, 120kph, he backed away and tried to heave but misses

19.3

Haris Rauf to McAndrew, 1 run, 144kph, full and straight, he swings hard and drags it to deep midwicket

19.2

Haris Rauf to Lenton, OUT, caught at deep midwicket! Maddinson had two bites but hung on! A length slower ball, Lenton takes a big swing and launches it high to deep midwicket, Maddinson runs in and calls Maxwell out, he needs to bites but doesn't panic and holds on

JS Lenton c Maddinson b Haris Rauf 10 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 142.85

19.1

1lb

Haris Rauf to McAndrew, 1 leg bye, 141kph, length ball angled into the pad, it runs fine to the keeper and they pinch a leg bye

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 164/7 (31 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.63, RRR: 31.00)

Jay Lenton10 (6b)
Nathan McAndrew0 (1b)

Nathan Coulter-Nile4-0-29-2
Haris Rauf3-0-16-2

Farooq: "How valuable is that Wonder Boy haris ... "

18.6

Coulter-Nile to Lenton, 2 runs, shorter slower ball, he mistimes a pull towards long on

18.5

1lb

Coulter-Nile to McAndrew, 1 leg bye, shorter slower ball, he tries to pull but cops it on the body and it rolls away for a leg bye

JB: "Before we crucify CA note that forecasters can be wrong. There was supposed to be 20mm of rain in Sydney today but only 1mm fell at Randwick nearest guage to SCG"

18.4

Coulter-Nile to Lenton, 1 run, he backs away and slaps this through cover but can't beat the man on the ring

AB: "Maxwell said on his mic that he doesn't dare face Rauf in the nets. If Maxwell is refusing to face Rauf, the who does he actually ball to in the nets? " A lot of target bowling

18.3

Coulter-Nile to Lenton, 2 runs, short slower ball, he's back and pulling through square leg for a couple

Kev: "Hats off to Maxwell's captaincy throughout this BBL. He's really been on his feet all along with the use of his bowlers!"

18.2

Coulter-Nile to Lenton, FOUR, short slower ball, he swings hard and gets a thick edge that runs to fine third man!

18.1

Coulter-Nile to Sams, OUT, Caught at deep square! Banged in slower ball, he rocked back and hits this high to forward of square, it's a huge hit but it still falls short of the long boundary and Larkin takes good catch just inside the rope

DR Sams c Larkin b Coulter-Nile 3 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Coulter-Nile

END OF OVER:
18 | 3 Runs | ST: 154/6 (41 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.55, RRR: 20.50)

Daniel Sams3 (5b)
Jay Lenton1 (2b)

Haris Rauf3-0-16-2
Adam Zampa4-0-43-2

AB: "Quite unexpectedly, Thunders' middle-order has given a fight to what at one point looked like a lost cause. They will go out with their heads held high!"

17.6

Haris Rauf to Sams, 1 run, 144kph, shorter length into the body, he mistimes pull behind square

17.5

Haris Rauf to Sams, no run, slower ball, brilliant, grips in the surface and he swings and misses again

17.4

Haris Rauf to Sams, no run, 140kph, back of a length wide of off, he tries to cut but misses

17.3

Haris Rauf to Lenton, 1 run, 148kph, fuller, he drives to mid off and takes on the man for a tight single

Usama Mukhtar: "How good was the move by Maxwell to bowl Zampa at this stage with 2 set batsmen on the crease." Brave

17.2

Haris Rauf to Lenton, no run, 142kph length ball outside off, it stays low, he swings and misses

17.1

Haris Rauf to Sams, 1 run, 143kph, length ball on off, he's back and slapping this to deep midwicket

Haris Rauf to bowl two of the last three

END OF OVER:
17 | 16 Runs 2 Wkts | ST: 151/6 (44 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.88, RRR: 14.66)

Daniel Sams1 (1b)
Jay Lenton0 (0b)

Adam Zampa4-0-43-2
Nathan Coulter-Nile3-0-20-1

16.6

Zampa to Sams, 1 run, edged off the gloves of Gotch! He went back to a shorter length, got a thick edge but it was too thick for the keeper, it came off the top of the gloves and runs away

MoonVale: "Thats game right there. Lenton hasn't been a quick scorer, and Sams is out of form with the bat. Now it's just how much the Stars win by."

16.5

Zampa to Nair, OUT, holes out to long off! A touch slower with some turn, he skipped down to go again, he sliced it high to long off and Handscomb took the catch easily well inside the rope

AJ Nair c Handscomb b Zampa 30 (17b 3x4 2x6) SR: 176.47

16.4

Zampa to Nair, SIX, lofted flat over long on! Full outside off, a step hit and he launches this flat and long again!

Thunder INNINGS		R	B
UT Khawaja	bowled	23	15
AD Hales	run out	8	8
CJ Ferguson	caught wk	7	7
AI Ross	caught	58	38
CH Morris	bowled	21	16
AJ Nair	caught	30	17
DR Sams	caught	3	6
JS Lenton	caught	10	7
N McAndrew	not out	1	3
CP Tremain	not out	0	3
JD Cook
EXTRAS	(lb 4, w 1)
TOTAL	166 (8 wkts; 20 ovs)

Stars BOWLING	O	R	W	Econ
DJ Worrall	4.0	29	0	7.25
GJ Maxwell	2.0	19	0	9.50
NM Coulter-Nile	4.0	29	2	7.25
Haris Rauf	4.0	17	3	4.25
A Zampa	4.0	43	2	10.75	(1w)
CD Hinchliffe	1.0	10	0	10.00
MP Stoinis	1.0	15	0	15.00

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	21	UT Khawaja	AD Hales
2nd	12	CJ Ferguson	UT Khawaja
3rd	8	CJ Ferguson	AI Ross
4th	45	AI Ross	CH Morris
5th	58	AI Ross	AJ Nair
6th	6	DR Sams	AJ Nair
7th	4	JS Lenton	DR Sams
8th	11	JS Lenton	N McAndrew
9th	1	CP Tremain	N McAndrew

Team	M	W	L	PT	NRR
MS	14	10	4	20	0.526
SS	14	9	4	19	0.269
AS	14	8	5	17	0.564
HH	14	6	7	13	-0.355
ST	14	6	7	13	-0.446
PS	14	6	8	12	-0.023
BH	14	6	8	12	-0.237
MR	14	3	11	6	-0.348

END OF OVER:
20 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 166/8 (29 runs required, RR: 8.30)

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 164/7 (31 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.63, RRR: 31.00)

END OF OVER:
18 | 3 Runs | ST: 154/6 (41 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.55, RRR: 20.50)

END OF OVER:
17 | 16 Runs 2 Wkts | ST: 151/6 (44 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.88, RRR: 14.66)

Match Coverage

Marcus Stoinis, Nick Larkin, Haris Rauf lead Melbourne Stars to BBL final

Haris Rauf could be the man to end the Stars' losing streak

Sydney Thunder reap benefit of gathering Hales storm

Thunder 2nd innings Partnerships

Big Bash League

END OF OVER:20 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 166/8 (29 runs required, RR: 8.30)

END OF OVER:19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 164/7 (31 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.63, RRR: 31.00)

END OF OVER:18 | 3 Runs | ST: 154/6 (41 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.55, RRR: 20.50)

END OF OVER:17 | 16 Runs 2 Wkts | ST: 151/6 (44 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.88, RRR: 14.66)

Marcus Stoinis, Nick Larkin, Haris Rauf lead Melbourne Stars to BBL final

Haris Rauf could be the man to end the Stars' losing streak

Sydney Thunder reap benefit of gathering Hales storm

END OF OVER:
20 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 166/8 (29 runs required, RR: 8.30)

END OF OVER:
19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | ST: 164/7 (31 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.63, RRR: 31.00)

END OF OVER:
18 | 3 Runs | ST: 154/6 (41 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.55, RRR: 20.50)

END OF OVER:
17 | 16 Runs 2 Wkts | ST: 151/6 (44 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.88, RRR: 14.66)