da jogodeouro： Kevin Pietersen has said the Melbourne Stars’ success has been built on preparation prior to the match and not worrying about consequences when it came to match-day
da imperador bet： Will Macpherson at the MCG22-Jan-2016Kevin Pietersen looked relaxed when he walked out to bat at the MCG, and he looked relaxed when he left the ground – 36 balls and 62 runs later – with the Big Bash League semi-final all but won.It seems the life of the freelancer, away from the prying eyes of international cricket, is treating him well, as he bids for his first-ever domestic T20 title on Sunday. “If I go throughout my career and don’t win one but have the most amazing time like I’m having at the moment, I couldn’t care less,” Pietersen said.’Proud’ Voges rues minor blips
Perth Scorchers captain Adam Voges rued two loose passages of play that cost his team a fifth straight BBL final, but remained proud of their efforts in what he described as “a bloody hard competition.”
“I thought we set our innings up well, so that if we go 10 an over for the last six or seven we get close to 160 or 170,” Voges said. “It needed myself or Maxy [Klinger] to get 80 or 90, not 50. They executed well and we were 20 short, again.”
“[With the ball] Our first four overs were outstanding, but then we just bowled a couple of poor balls that got both Pietersen and Stoinis going. All that pressure we created in those four overs got lost a little bit and they both played well. We bowled Pietersen a half-volley and a couple of balls that got him going, and he’s a class player lie that you can’t afford to do that.
“I’m incredibly proud of the boys’ efforts, we made another semi-final and it’s the first time we won’t be playing a final but like I said it’s tough and I’m very proud.
“There is no easy game and you have to play well every game if you want to win. That’s what you want as a player and a spectator. We just weren’t quite good enough tonight.”
“I have had to deal with the weight of expectation for ten years playing for England,” he said. “Every time I walked out to bat, I had people gunning me for ten years. So my personal way of dealing with that is to take the pressure away and trust practice. That’s all I do. I train as hard as anyone, I practice with a reason and I do my work with purpose, and I let everything else control itself. If I’m good enough I’ll succeed, if not I’m not interested.”Flem [Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming] lives off exactly the same mantra, and does exactly the same stuff. He’s not worried about consequences, he’s not worried about results, he’s worried about how we perform and how we prepare.” This, Pietersen said, has been the message that has driven the Stars to their first ever BBL final. As a result, Sunday’s date with Sydney Thunder at the MCG is not a concern.”We have been drumming into the lads over the last six weeks – consequences? why worry about consequences? Why worry about results? We’re not even going to worry about Sunday. We prepare, we turn up, we play the way we play and if we win we win.”Pietersen’s fierce half-century helped clear the way for the summit clash, but he was full of praise for the Stars’ bowlers, who limited Perth Scorchers’ impressive batting line-up to 139. Michael Beer, who bowled a spell of 4-0-22-1, was regarded by Pietersen as “the best trade in BBL history.””Our bowlers were brilliant. On that wicket to bowl them out for 139 was sensational, absolutely brilliant. It’s a sign of a very good side that they could come in there and do a job like that. Win the toss, have form and we knock that off.”They [bowlers] pulled their lengths back after a couple of balls, tried to swing a couple. [Daniel] Worrall pulled his length back, got a wicket, Hilfy [Ben Hilfenhaus] tried to swing it then pulled his length back. Zamps [Adam Zampa] is a class act, Beer is a class act. He’s the best trade in BBL history for a wonderful left-arm spinner like him. We are very lucky to have him in our team, but I think all those guys who went out there and performed for that hour and twenty minutes after winning the toss deserve all the credit.”Should Australia not select John Hastings or Scott Boland to face India at the SCG on Saturday, and release them to play the final, Stars could face tricky decisions with regard to their bowling come Sunday with Worrall, Hilfenhaus and Evan Gulbis – despite an off-night at the MCG – all impressing in their two vital wins over Scorchers in the last week.
