STAR BAT SET TO WALK
RETIRING great Kevin Pietersen insists Melbourne Stars can win their last six games to storm into the Big Bash League finals, despite slumping to 0-4 with a crushing derby loss to the Renegades.
Pietersen, 37, said a herculean individual effort against the Strikers at Adelaide Oval to- morrow night could turbocharge the worst start to a Stars season in the tournament’s seven-year history.
The Englishman requires 36 runs to become the second player to score 1000 runs for the Stars, behind compatriot Luke Wright (1468 runs).
Pietersen has blasted nine half-centuries and scored the most runs since he joined the franchise four years ago, imparting valuable knowledge on emerging Aussies including Pete Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.
“I’ve played in too many of these franchises around the world over a number of years, and sometimes you get on a roll winning and sometimes you get on a roll losing,” Pietersen said. “It can change with one innings, it can change with one spell of bowling. Somebody with the form and the class in our dressing room can change a season around.
“We could go to Adelaide and somebody could get 120 off 60 balls, or somebody could get 5-20.”
The Stars sit on the bottom of the BBL ladder and will lose legspinner Adam Zampa and allrounder Stoinis to Australia’s ODI squad after tomorrow’s clash against Adelaide.
But Pietersen said expectations remained high and that would drive the green team.
“We get to finals every single year and there is a lot of expectation because it is the Melbourne Stars,” he said.
“It’s great to play with that expectation.”