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THE Sydney Thunder have been torpedoed out of Big Bash finals contention for the fourth year running, with a batting masterclass from Melbourne Stars captain Kevin Pietersen extinguishing their season.
Chasing a meagre 107 for victory, the Stars all but guaranteed a place in the finals courtesy of a silky innings from ex-England batsman Pietersen.
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Questions about the Spotless Stadium wicket were once again raised after the home side struggled to grind to 107, with Thunder ambassador Mark Waugh joking in Channel Ten's commentary it was a "mine field".
But any concerns about the dangerous wicket dished up in the first-ever T20 match at Spotless Stadium last weekend were blasted all over the park once the Stars took to the crease, with Pietersen and Cameron White wreaking havoc.
Kevin Pietersen 67 off 42 balls for the Stars. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited
Pietersen blasted eight fours and two sixes on his way to surpassing 50 before finishing the match on 67 off 42 balls.
By the time Peter Handscomb hit the winning runs, KP had hammered 10 fours and one six.
"To be honest, since the first net I had in Australia, I've lost all the pain in my knee and I feel like a different player," Pietersen said. "Since I've turned up here, I've thoroughly enjoyed it and gone out to have fun and win games of cricket.
"When I played here in the Ashes, I was nowhere. I had a horrendous time. I was on the physio bench three or four times a day. It's just nice to be playing with freedom. At the moment, touchwood, it (the pain) is staying away and I can just enjoy my cricket."
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Stars paceman Jackson Bird said Pietersen's contributions this summer had been invaluable.
"He's a class player. He's shown that throughout the Big Bash and he's shown that on the field by getting around the boys," Bird said.
Debate raged after Josh Lalor came from outside the boundary rope to leap and catch Cameron White, who was given out for 23.
White was left shaking his head and declaring there was no way it was out, as were numerous cricket experts. White maintained it should have been six runs.
"The last point of contact he made when he threw the ball up was outside the field of play," White said.
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"When he throws it up, my understanding is that he has to come back into the field of play, touch the field then touch the ball.
"But I just have to accept the decision."
Thankfully, it had no bearing on the final result, with the Stars cruising to victory with six overs to spare.
"Our bowlers were absolutely outstanding. The way that they ran in, the way that they hit their lengths," Pietersen said.
"It probably worked for us that we bowled first because the history of last week was probably in the batters heads, thinking "goodness, what's the wicket going to do"?
Kevin Pietersen shakes hands with Jacques Kallis after the Stars won the match. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited
"We got on top and when negativity sets in and they're not scoring as quickly as they should be then they're on the back foot.
"As the temperature dropped I think the wicket got a lot better for us to bat on."
To be fair, the Thunder was missing captain Michael Hussey, Usman Khawaja and fast bowler Pat Cummins, but it could well be time to take a punt on a young gun like Jake Doran.
Next Thursday's all-Sydney derby at the SCG against the Sixers will now be a case of the Thunder attempting to spoil the Sixers finals aspirations.
Already out of finals contention, it could be a golden opportunity to blood rookie Doran.
Jacques Kallis was dismissed early by Jackson Bird. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited
The Thunder struggled early, collapsing to 3-9 inside the opening four overs as Bird grabbed two wickets and Stars spinner Michael Beer chimed in with one in the opening over.
"The boys have been on a roll over the last four games. I think we started well in the first six overs with our bowling end. Over the past couple of weeks, we've been bowling really well as a team," Bird said.
Boundaries were at a premium, with the Thunder managing just two fours inside the opening 10 overs courtesy of Daniel Hughes and Andrew McDonald.
Clint McKay played his first BBL04 game and picked up the wicket of Nathan Hauritz. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited
It hardly improved in the second half of the home side's innings either, with back-to-back boundaries from Aiden Blizzard on the way to the Thunder's top score of 45 a rare glimpse of action.
By the time they finished, the innings had entered the record books for recording the least amount of fours in Big Bash history.
The Thunder managed to grind to 100 with two overs remaining, but it was painstakingly slow and awkward to watch.
Two wickets in succession had Clint McKay on a hat trick in his first BBL match for the season in the final over for the Thunder, but the home side managed to avoid it.
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