Melbourne: Former England star Kevin Pietersen played a lone hand to guide the Melbourne Stars to 176 for nine in the final of the Big Bash League against the Sydney Thunder on Sunday.
Pietersen smashed the ball all over the Melbourne Cricket Ground as he raced to 74 from just 39 balls, including four boundaries and five massive sixes.
However, he didn't get much support from his teammates, with fellow Englishman Luke Wright the next highest scorer with 23.
When Pietersen was in full flight the Stars looked like setting a huge target for the Thunder to chase, but they lost wickets steadily to lose momentum, despite a late flourish from Evan Gulbis (16) and Adam Zampa (15).
Scoreboard from the final of the Australian Big Bash League between Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Thunder at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Melbourne Thunder
M. Stoinis c Russell b Watson 5
L. Wright b Watson 23
K. Pietersen c and b Green 74
P. Handscomb c Hussey b Green 9
D. Hussey b Kallis 21
R. Quiney c and b Russell 2
E. Gulbis c Green b McKay 16
A. Zampa run out 15
B. Hilfenhaus not out 0
D. Worrall run out 0
Extras (b4, w7) 11
Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 176
Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Stoinis), 2-50 (Wright), 3-85 (Handscomb), 4-131 (Hussey), 5-139 (Pietersen), 6-144 (Quiney), 7-176 (Zampa), 8-176 (Gulbis), 9-176 (Worrall)
Did not bat: M. Beer
Bowling: Russell 4-0-30-1 (5w), Watson 3-0-17-2, McKay 4-0-40-1 (1w), Kallis 3-0-24-1, Ahmed 2-0-24-0, 4-0-37-2 (1w)
Toss: Sydney Thunder
Umpires: Simon Fry, Sam Nogajski
TV Umpire: Geoff Joshua
Referee: Bob Stratford
AFP
