Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Faulkner sliced through the Strikers’ batting line-up with three wickets

Australia left-arm pace bowler James Faulkner took three wickets and Sri Lanka seamer Lasith Malinga claimed two wickets as they ripped through the Adelaide Strikers’ batting line-up to to leave them Star-struck.

Faulkner and Malinga were well supported by England batsman Luke Wright, who smashed a magnificent 49, as the Melbourne Stars cruised to victory by eight wickets.

Strikers captain Phillip Hughes won the toss and chose to bat first.

However, his decision to do so backfired in the worst possible way as Faulkner, Malinga and Jackson Bird ripped through the Strikers’ top and middle order to leave them in deep trouble at 57/6.

Opening batsman Michael Klinger managed to rise from the rubble and amass 42 runs off 49 balls, which included three boundaries and a six, before he was caught by Bird off the bowling of Faulkner.

Kane Richardson smashed a vital 21 runs towards the end of the innings to lead the Strikers to 90/9 at the end of their 20 overs.

Faulkner was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Malinga snapped up two and Bird, Wright and James Muirhead all chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Chasing a straightforward target of 91 to win, the Stars got off to a great start as their opening pair of Wright and captain Cameron White put together a 62-run partnership before Wright was caught by Richardson at backward point off the bowling of Michael Neser.

Wright’s brilliant knock of 49 came off 20 balls and included eight boundaries and two sixes.

White was dismissed the very next ball as he was caught by Shakib Al Hasan at third man for 13.

However, there was to be no more drama as Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Wade helped the Stars cross the finish line with more than 12 overs to spare.

Neser picked up two wickets.