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The Melbourne Stars faced off against the Sydney Thunder in the 12th match of the Big Bash League 2023-24 at Lavington Sports Oval on Saturday. The contest saw Thunder dominating the proceedings and registering their first win of the ongoing season.
Haris Rauf forgets his accessories
During the game, one moment captured everyone’s attention when Haris Rauf came out to bat without essential accessories such as pads, gloves and a helmet. This unforeseen incident unfolded after the Melbourne Stars lost four wickets in as many deliveries during the final over bowled by Daniel Sams.
The sequence of dismissals commenced with Beau Webster and Usama Mir succumbing to Sams on the third and fourth deliveries, respectively. Mark Steketee then encountered a run-out. The abrupt cascade of wickets caught Rauf unawares, compelling him to step onto the field armed only with his bat, gloves, and helmet. This impromptu decision was necessitated by Rauf’s need to take up position at the non-striker’s end, with Steketee assuming strike for the last ball.
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Here is the video:
No gloves, pads or helmet on 🤣
Haris Rauf was caught by surprise at the end of the Stars innings!@KFCAustralia #BucketMoment #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/ZR9DeP8YhW
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 23, 2023
Daniel Sams wreaks havoc as Thunder claim first win
Batting first, Webster emerged as the standout performer for the Stars, crafting a splendid innings of 59 runs off 44 balls, which included two fours and two sixes. Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright also made valuable contributions, scoring 30 and 22 runs, respectively.
However, the highlight of the Thunder’s bowling attack was Sams, who wreaked havoc by claiming four wickets for 33 runs in his four-over spell. Zaman Khan too shined with the ball as he claimed three wickets for 24 in his quota of 4 overs. With a total score of 172/10 in 20 overs, the Stars faced a challenging task defending their total.
In response, the Sydney Thunder displayed a determined batting performance, ultimately achieving the target with 18 balls to spare. The top-order batsmen played pivotal roles, with Alex Hales scoring 40 runs and Cameron Bancroft contributing 30 runs.Sams, not content with his bowling heroics, also made a significant impact with the bat, scoring 22 runs off 13 balls.
Despite Webster’s four-wicket haul for the Melbourne Stars, the Thunder secured victory with five wickets in hand. The Sydney Thunder’s successful chase, reaching a total of 176/5 in 18.2 overs, marked a convincing win and opened their account in BBL|13.
