Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers, BBL08, video, updates, Cameron Bancroft

January 9, 2019 John Cricket 0

Cameron Bancroft had brought the Perth Scorchers back into the winners circle against a heavily depleted Melbourne Stars outfit.

Bancroft hit his first 50 since returning from his nine-month ban for ball tampering.

After modest returns in his previous three matches, Bancroft hit his straps at the top of the order for the Scorchers.

His 59 from 42 balls had four fours and two sixes as the Scorchers won with 14 balls remaining.

“It has been slow-going the last couple of games, I tried to be really bold today,” Bancroft said. “Sometimes you have got to risk failure to succeed a bit in Twenty20 cricket. It was nice to contribute to that.

“I have worked on a lot of things in my game in the period during my ban.

“Tonight, I just tried to hit the ball really hard. Whether that was over the top or on the ground, I had reasonable success tonight which was good.”

Cameron Bancroft has bounced back from the ball tampering scandal.Source:AAP

He added his time away from the game during the ban allowed him to think about the big issues in his game.

“I think when you are playing lots of games for long periods of time, and I only probably realise this had during my time during my ban, was how you put bandaids over problems with your technique because it is all about making runs,” Bancroft said.

“I guess I was able to take a step back, really work on firming my top wrist, working my back foot play a little bit. I guess the real intention for them to be really positive changes for my forte.”

Bancroft didn’t quite make it to the end of the innings, dragging his foot to be stumped by Seb Gotch.

But Ashton Turner hit the Scorchers home with 43 from just 22 balls to get his side home for just their second win of the match.

Dwayne Bravo struck after the match was over, bowling Ashton Agar and Hilton Cartwright in consecutive balls but it was too little too late.

Andrew Tye set up the match with the ball, taking 4/18 from four overs.

Tye was a one-day and T20 bowler for Australia earlier in the year but after taking just four wickets this season in six matches, selectors went elsewhere.

His bowling performance slowed the Melbourne run rate and restrict the Stars to 6/146 when 170+ looked possible early.

The commentators called Tye’s performance “outstanding” with Mark Howard saying “class always comes to the fore”.

Andrew Tye was the man of the match.

Andrew Tye was the man of the match.Source:AAP

It’s Tye’s first BBL four-for and his best bowling in the tournament.

“It felt good to get the win,” Tye said. “It’s always nice when you’re doing well and the team’s doing well.”

He also praised Bancroft for breaking through.

“No one works harder on their batting than Cam does,” Tye said.

Ben Dunk played a lone hand for the Stars, slamming 62 off 47 balls for his first 50 for the Stars.

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Bancroft back in the runs

For the nine months, Cameron Bancroft would have been waiting for a chance to get out on the field to get back to performing as a cricketer.

Four games into his return, he’s hit his first milestone.

A low key single saw Bancroft score his fourth BBL and first since his ball tampering ban.

“Tremendous knock from Cameron Bancroft,” Michael Vaughan said. “Four games into his comeback, he’s played very nicely indeed, struck it hard.”

Klinger skies it

Michael Klinger and Cameron Bancroft got off to a scorching star in the chase as Perth were at 75 in the 11th over.

Klinger then got a top edge, giving Liam Plunkett a caught and bowled and the Stars’ first wicket.

Tye’s ‘outstanding’ comeback

Andrew Tye was a one-day and T20 bowler for Australia earlier in the year but after taking just four wickets this season in six matches, selectors went elsewhere.

He responded at the MCG tonight.

Tye took 4/18 from his four overs to slow the Melbourne run rate and restrict the Stars to 6/146 when 170+ looked possible early.

Tye took Stars captain Nic Maddinson first with a bouncer showing the stars’ fear after breaking his arm.

Ben Dunk threatened to tee off but Tye was tight, taking the wickets of Seb Gotch, Dwayne Bravo and Jonathan Merlo.

The commentators called Tye’s performance “outstanding” with Mark Howard saying “class always comes to the fore”.

It’s Tye’s first BBL four-for and his best bowling in the tournament.

Dunk back in the runs

Ben Dunk is a former player of the tournament with the Hobart Hurricanes but since going to the Melbourne Stars, it had been a struggle.

In his second season at the Stars, Dunk has finally broken through with his first 50 for the Victorians.

The big hitting batsman started slowly but brought up his 50 with a six.

“It’s great to see him bounce back after a lot of pressure,” Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard said.

He was finally dismissed for 62 off 47 balls.

Skippers return ends early

Nic Maddinson had his arm broken by Perth Scorchers’ bowler Jhye Richardson and in his first game back, it’s clearly on his mind.

Richardson is on international duty but Andrew Tye was happy to play the villain, bowling a bouncer at Maddinson.

A jumpy Maddinson tried to get out of the way but popped the ball up to Cameron Bancroft for an easy catch.

Qadir breaks through

Spinner Usman Qadir has struck with his first wicket of the Big Bash season.

The son of Pakistan legend Abdul Qadir, Usman drew Evan Gulbis into a big shot which went high rather than long with David Willey taking a good catch.

Gulbis gets going

He’s been struggling for a game in this season’s Big Bash League but Evan Gulbis is making the most of his chance in the spotlight.

The 32-year-old veteran opened the batting with Ben Dunk, slamming a six and two fours to get to 27 from his first 22 balls as the Stars passed 50 in the seventh over to set a strong platform.

Maddison loses first toss

The Melbourne Stars’ new skipper Nic Maddison has started with a loss, losing the bat flip and being sent into bat.

Maddinson to captain Stars

Nic Maddinson will take on captaincy duties in his first BBL game for a heavily-depleted Melbourne Stars when they host Perth Scorchers at the MCG.

The Stars have again been hammered by Australian selection demands with skipper Glenn Maxwell, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa all unavailable after being picked for the ODI series against India.

Maddinson’s Stars debut on Wednesday night will be his first appearance in any format since his right arm was fractured by a Jhye Richardson bouncer during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in December.

Jackson Bird, Nic Maddinson and Adam Zampa.

Jackson Bird, Nic Maddinson and Adam Zampa.Source:Getty Images

He has previously captained Sydney Sixers as well as the NSW Shield team in place of the injured Moises Henriques in 2015-16.

Maddinson is confident the third-placed Stars can overcome their big-name losses, having added Jonathan Merlo, Tom O’Connell and Nick Larkin to their squad.

“I think we’re still a very strong team,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “Obviously it hurts missing those guys for the week or so that they’re out but I feel like the guys coming in have played a bit of Big Bash and had a taste of what it’s like at this level, so I’m confident that there’ll be no holes left unfilled.”

The Scorchers have also lost four players to ODI duties in Richardson, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh and Jason Behrendorff.

But the presence of Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, AJ Tye and Ashton Turner suggests the Scorchers remain a threat despite sitting bottom of the ladder.

“They’re pretty good but I feel like we’re matched up really well,” Maddinson said.

“Ben Dunk’s playing nicely at the moment. (Dwayne) Bravo hasn’t had much of an opportunity with the bat so far, so I feel like the squad we’ve got matches pretty well against anyone.”

Maddinson has the luxury of taking over a side that has won its past three games, including a crushing victory over Sydney Thunder on the Gold Coast.

“I think it’s self-managing at the moment. Everyone’s playing a pretty specific role in the team,” he said.

“It’s a pretty easy transition for me to come in. I’ll probably bat where Maxi did (at No.4) and captain and run it that way … I don’t think things will change that much.”

— AAP

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