Perth Scorchers 3 for 196 (Evans 69, Turner 47, Hobson 46, Rauf 2-38) beat Melbourne Stars 9 for 149 (Webster 63, Kelly 4-25) by 47 runs
Top-order runs proved the difference as Perth Scorchers took down Melbourne Stars in Thursday afternoon's BBL clash in Geelong.
In a GMHBA Stadium-record BBL total, the Scorchers made 3 for 196 batting first and were always in front throughout the chase, holding the Stars to 9 for 149. Beau Webster did his best for Stars, carving seven fours and two sixes in an impressive 63.
The runs flowed instantly for Scorchers with opener Nick Hobson, playing his first BBL game since 2019, looking classy with 46 off 36 balls including six fours.
But the real fireworks came from Laurie Evans and Ashton Turner; Evans clubbed 69 off 46 balls and helped himself to five huge sixes, before captain Turner sped to an unbeaten 47 off just 26 balls.
Remarkably, the wrong batter took strike following the 10-over drinks break and it paid accidental dividends for Scorchers, with Evans hitting two sixes in an over that went for 18 runs. It provided a huge lift for the Scorchers, who took 117 off the second 10 overs.
All Stars' bowlers lacked impact, with only Haris Rauf taking multiple wickets.
Problems struck almost immediately in Melbourne's chase as Matthew Kelly knocked over Nick Larkin with his first ball, but Webster and Joe Burns steadied things up and were 1 for 57 after seven.
As they looked to even the contest, Kelly drew a top-edge from Burns and dismissed him caught and bowled for 20. Plenty fell to returning star Glenn Maxwell but he sliced one from Peter Hatzoglou and went for 5, leaving Stars 3 for 69 at halfway,
Webster brought up his 50 in 38 balls but the required run-rate crept up above 14 runs an over, and he holed out deep on the off side for 63 with his wicket signalling the end of Stars' resistance.
The red-hot Joe Clarke, who came in off the back of four straight 50s, batted down the order citing fatigue but only made 17. Kelly finished with the impressive figures of 4 for 25.
