Scorching Perth powers to Big Bash record in steamrolling Stars

PERTH Scorchers have registered the third-biggest score in Big Bash League history on the way to crushing Melbourne Stars by 61 runs at Junction Oval on Friday.

After Perth won the toss and elected to bat first, the Scorchers smashed 7-229, comfortably beating their previous best of 3-213, which they recorded in 2019-20.

Perth hammered 17 sixes and 16 fours off a helpless Stars attack.

Spectacular twin half-centuries from Josh Inglis (74 off 33 balls) and Faf du Plessis (68 off 33) did the bulk of the damage.

And when the Stars lost their first three wickets in the space of 18 balls for just 14 runs, their run chase was doomed. They limped to 8-168, with Beau Webster (43 off 32) the standout. Peter Hatzoglou (2-28) and Jason Behrendorff (3-32) were the pick of the Perth bowlers.

After Du Plessis brought up the quickest half-century of the season to date (27 balls), Inglis topped his South African teammate nine overs later when he reached 50 off 25 deliveries.

Prior to Friday, the highest BBL score so far this summer was 6-184 by Adelaide Strikers, but Perth bettered that mark with 17 balls still left in its innings.

Inglis helped himself to six sixes and five fours, and had a strike rate of 224.24, while du Plessis (206.06) recorded five sixes and six fours.

The damage incurred by the Stars might have been less severe had Inglis been run out for one in the 11th over after a mix-up with Nick Hobson, who sent Inglis back.

But Luke Wood went for a direct hit from short fine leg, which went well wide, instead of lobbing the ball over the bails to wicketkeeper Joe Clarke.

It was a decision that came back to haunt Wood as Inglis went berserk, smashing Nathan Coulter-Nile for a pair of sixes in the 17th over, and Trent Boult for another couple of sixes in the 19th over, one of which was an incredible reverse scoop shot.

Wood’s failed run out was the second of two costly Melbourne fielding errors after du Plessis was dropped by Tom Rogers on 41, and, like Inglis, the Perth opener made the hosts pay a hefty price.