AS vs MS

Lloyd Pope(Player of the Match, Adelaide Strikers): We get the first one on the board. I was disappointed after the last game and everyone chipped in. D'arcy batted really well. I was just thinking about the spin and trying to get the basics right. That wasn't my best over but coming back in front of the home crowd was special. Some nasty things on social media but I tried to ride the wave and take things as they go

9:56 PM local time (4:56 PM IST): Adelaide Strikers win by 15 runs against Melbourne Stars

Adelaide Strikers: 150/9 (20 overs)
Sam Harper: 48 (44) | Lloyd Pope: 3/21 (4)

Melbourne Stars: 165/6 (20 overs)
D'Arcy Short: 60 (42) | Peter Siddle: 2/21 (4)

Melbourne Stars get trapped in Adelaide Strikers' spin web of Matthew Short, Lloyd Pope and Cameron Boyce to provide them the first win of the season and that too in front of the home crowd at Adelaide Oval. The Stars lose their third game on the run and are yet to add two points ahead of their name.

Sam Harper stood in the hosts' path to win this game as the wickets kept falling at regular intervals on the other end. Harper was handed a life by Lloyd Pope, who dropped a sitter at short fine leg in the 15th over off Thornton's bowling. However, Lloyd Pope redeemed himself by castling Harper in the very next over.

Matthew Short started the proceedings with the ball and struck in the first over, showing Ben Duckett the way to the pavilion on the English's first delivery. Following this, skipper Marcus Stoinis added 40-odd runs with Harper to set the tone before Boyce struck the sticks. Glenn Maxwell avenged the wicket with two massive sixes with reverse sweeps in the same over but departed soon after in the following over. 

The ensuing middle-order batters lacked resolve and lost their wickets without providing the much-needed support to Sam Harper. Towards the end, Tom Curran smacked some boundaries but only to reduce the deficit as the game was firmly in the Strikers' grip by then.

Matthew Short and Jamie Overton picked two wickets apiece, albeit the latter was a tad expensive as a result of his wayward bowling in the first two overs. Cameron Boyce and Henry Thornton dismissed one batter each. Nevertheless, Lloyd Pope was the pick of the bowlers with his three wickets at an economy of 5.25 runs per over and won the Player of the Match for his excellent performance.

19.6 Matthew Short to Peter Siddle, length delivery on the line of the middle and leg stump. Siddle comes down the track and knocks it towards deep midwicket for a brace to end the over and the match. Adelaide Strikers win by 15 runs and register their first win of the tournament

19.5 Matthew Short to Peter Siddle, FOUR! WELL TIMED! Full and outside the off stump, Siddle hits that one hard and times it well to beat the fielder and earn himself a boundary

19.3 Matthew Short to Peter Siddle, FOUR! Length delivery on the line of the off stump, Siddle hits it towards deep midwicket and the ball races away to the fence for a boundary

Jamie Overton consistently bowled outside off to Tom Curran and had even employed three fielders deep on the off side for the same. Tom struck a boundary but eventually succumbed to the setup from his compatriot handing the catch to the fielder at deep backward point.

Peter Siddle, RHB, is the new batter in as Matthew Short [2-0-1-2] is back into the attack for the final over.

18.6 Jamie Overton to Tom Curran, CAUGHT! CURRAN HAS TO DEPART! Back of a length delivery outside the off stump, Curran looks to hit that one over deep backward point but doesn't get enough height and distance as in caught in the deep. Only one wicket remains now

Tom Curran c Alex Ross b Jamie Overton 25 (22b, 4x4, 0x6)

18.4 Jamie Overton to Tom Curran, FOUR! Length delivery outside the off stump, Curran hits that one inside out towards deep extra cover for a boundary

18.3 Jamie Overton to Tom Curran, full and outside the off stump, Curran has a play and a miss. Overton appeals and is quick to tell it might have been the bat hitting the ground