Haris Rauf shines as Melbourne Stars crush Sydney Thunder to go top of BBL ladder
Rauf leads as joint-highest wicket-taker with nine scalps in BBL 15
CANBERRA: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf delivered a match-defining spell as Melbourne Stars surged to the top of the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 standings with a commanding nine-wicket victory over a lacklustre Sydney Thunder at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
Rauf set the tone with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 29, as the Thunder struggled to gain momentum after being sent in to bat.
His pace and accuracy dismantled the middle order, ensuring the Stars kept their unbeaten run intact this season.
Chasing a modest target of 129, the Stars made light work of the task, reaching the total with 36 balls to spare.
Joe Clarke led the charge with a fluent 60 off 37 deliveries, while Sam Harper remained unbeaten on 29 and Glenn Maxwell added a brisk 39 not out off just 20 balls to seal the win in style.
Earlier, the Thunder’s innings never truly took off. Openers Sam Konstas and Matt Gilkes offered a brief spark, racing to 23 without loss after two overs, but both fell in quick succession — Gilkes eventually undone by Rauf after surviving two close chances.
David Warner briefly entertained the crowd with a towering six onto the Manuka Oval roof but was dismissed off the very next delivery as the Thunder slumped to 64 for 4 at the halfway mark.
Rauf struck again to remove Sam Billings just as the Englishman looked to settle, and later claimed his third scalp when Chris Green flicked a catch straight to short fine leg.
New recruit Mitchell Swepson provided excellent support, picking up 2 for 18, including wickets with his first ball and trapping Cameron Bancroft lbw.
The Thunder failed to recover from the early blows and closed on a below-par total, suffering their first defeat of the campaign after three wins, while the Stars continued their dominant start to the season.
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