Big Bash League: Mitch Marsh, young guns star as Perth Scorchers topple Adelaide Strikers again

Perth Scorchers are marching towards finals with their fourth total of 200 or more for the season extending their winning streak over Adelaide Strikers to four matches with a 32-run victory.

Mitch Marsh was blistering at Adelaide Oval as he made up for Ashton Turner’s bat-flip curse, belting 88 from 51 balls as the Scorchers posted a daunting 4-232, having been asked yet again to bat first.

However, the run chase wasn’t without a scare as Adelaide put their own finals hopes on the line, needing a victory to keep their fate in their own hands.

Ashes hero Alex Carey took a liking to the white-ball, pure class for 71 from 39 while opening partner and captain Matt Short struck a rapid half century.

But Perth’s stars of the future showed just how bright they could be.

Mahli Beardman dismissed Carey, Ashton Turner taking the catch and emphasising his hands being above the turf after controversy against Melbourne Renegades, with a ballsy slower-ball as well as Jamie Overton in one gutsy over.

Meanwhile, Cooper Connolly recovered a golden duck and dropped catch with the vital wicket of Liam Scott before he could get going.

All four of Perth’s 200-plus totals have come on the road, their victories away from Optus Stadium putting them in the box seat to enter finals in second.

“It’s a pretty special batting line-up to watch,” English import David Payne, who claimed 3-35, said post-game.

“You pretty much have international superstars all the way down, so it’s a hell of a top seven to have and it makes you pretty content as a bowler because you know something’s going to happen.

“And you’re confident that batting line-up is going to get the job done most days.”

They need Hobart Hurricanes to lose at least one of their final two games to have a chance at first, with second likely having them travel to Ninja Stadium to play for the right to host the decider.

After giving up more than 50 runs in the first three overs in Hobart, Adelaide again found themselves on the end of an early massacre, Perth 0-46 after three.

Kiwi Finn Allen took over the top six-hitter crown in the next over as the Scorchers ended with their best Power Play of the season at 0-69.

Lloyd Pope, who starred with 4-23 in Perth in the previous meeting between the two sides this season, finally ended the onslaught the following over, Allen caught at point for 38 from 16, a third-umpire check confirming Short’s catch.

Connolly was bowled next ball, but Marsh ensured Perth reached the 100 mark largely untroubled with the last ball of the eighth over.

The burly opener’s half century came from 29 deliveries, and the Scorchers triggered their Power Surge as soon as it was available.

It allowed Josh Inglis to find his range with four boundaries and a six, 26 runs coming from the Surge without a wicket falling.

However, the keeper got over-ambitious as Short brought himself into the attack, dancing down the wicket to the off-spinner only to slice one to Jamie Overton at deep mid-off for 42 off 23.

None of it phased Marsh, who continued to find the boundary with ease, adding seven maximums to Perth’s total of 16 sixes.

But he was cautious against leg-spinner Cameron Boyce, and with just two big hits between him and a second century of the season, he hauled out to deep mid-wicket.

Aaron Hardie, who finished unbeaten on 34, brought up the 200 with back-to-back boundaries as English import Overton was taken to the cleaners, his two overs going for 30.

Luke Wood’s numbers were even worse, taken for a franchise-record 0-58 from his four, while Hasan Ali went 0-52.

The quicks’ plight made the Strikers’ decision to drop South African import and spinner Tabraiz Shamsi on a used wicket even more bizarre, as spin offered their only relief from the flood.

If Adelaide were to have a chance of chasing the total, they needed Short and Carey to fire at the top.

And that’s precisely what they did, 0-36 after three overs.

Adelaide’s Power Play was 20 short of the Scorchers, but Carey loomed ominous, especially as a chip into the deep teased Beardman on the rope.

Luke Holt was given a tough introduction to life in the Big Bash, his first two balls of leg spin drag downs that went to the boundary in double time.

But his second over was much more assured and pulled the momentum back the Scorchers’ way.

Short brought up his 10th BBL half century on his home deck with a boundary against Hardie.

But the Scorchers all-rounder had the last laugh two balls later, the opener caught at deep square-leg for 52.

Adelaide entered the drinks break with nine wickets in the shed and emulated the Scorchers, calling for the Power Surge straight away.

Chris Lynn started the Surge by tugging two boundaries to the leg side before a genius Scorchers’ review found an inside edge as the ball flew through to Inglis, bringing Scott to the wicket.

Connolly’s night didn’t get any better as he put Carey down in the deep on 56, but he was feeling better as he clean bowled Scott in the very next over.

Beardman then produced a brave slower-ball out of the back of his hand that Carey could only chip to Turner, leaving the men in blue needing 72 from 27 with two fresh batters at the crease.

Overton fell to the young gun in the same over, and Adelaide’s bowlers were unable to exact revenge for the damage done to them earlier in the night.