Finn Allen Blasts Scorchers to Top of BBL Ladder as Richardson Strikes with Ball

In a crucial penultimate clash of the BBL regular season, Perth Scorchers edged the Melbourne Stars by six wickets, clinching top spot and setting up two home finals. Captain Ashton Turner’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends. Fast bowler Jhye Richardson ripped through the Stars’ top order, claiming 4 for 16 and reducing them to 15 for 3 within two overs. 

Tom Rogers and Joe Clarke fell in consecutive deliveries, while Sam Harper’s struggle continued as Richardson trapped him cheaply. Amid a partisan home crowd of 48,608, the Stars battled valiantly, with Marcus Stoinis leading a counterattack with 55 runs off 36 balls, but their total of 130 proved inadequate.

Allen and Hardie Dominate the Chase

Chasing 131, Scorchers lost early wickets to Haris Rauf, with Mitchell Marsh and Cooper Connolly departing cheaply. Finn Allen, however, seized the momentum, launching a blistering innings of 69 from 39 balls. Two critical drops, one by substitute fielder Blake Macdonald and another by captain Stoinis, allowed Allen to consolidate, while Aaron Hardie supported with an unbeaten 41. 

Together, they stitched a 94-run partnership, guiding the Scorchers to victory in the 17th over. Allen’s crisp drives and towering sixes thrilled the home crowd and demonstrated his capacity to handle pressure in high-stakes encounters.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Haris Rauf’s early strikes and Richardson’s pinpoint accuracy could have tilted the match, but dropped chances allowed Scorchers’ star batsmen to turn the tide. Hardie’s composure and running between wickets complemented Allen’s aggressive strokeplay. 

For the Stars, Stoinis provided brief resistance, but Glenn Maxwell’s ongoing form slump, scoring just three,  compounded the team’s collapse.

Implications for Finals

With this win, the Perth Scorchers secure the all-important double chance, hosting the Qualifier against either the Hurricanes or Sixers. The Stars, finishing third or fourth, will face a knockout final on January 21. 

The result highlighted Scorchers’ ability to perform under pressure at home, combining attacking batting with clinical bowling to seal the season’s top spot.

Playing XI

Perth Scorchers: Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Finn Allen, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Turner (c), Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Luke Holt, Peter Siddle, Jhye Richardson, Haris Rauf

Melbourne Stars: Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Josh Philippe, Peter Siddle, Luke Holt, Liam Scott, Haris Rauf, Mahli Beardman, Aaron Hardie