The Big Bash League isn’t meant to be about blokes like Tim Ludeman.

It’s meant to be about big-hitters like his Adelaide Strikers teammate Kieron Pollard, or Melbourne Stars duo Kevin Pietersen and Glenn Maxwell.

But pint-sized Ludeman, a 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman who cops friendly ribbing from teammates for being prematurely bald, upstaged them all in the BBL opener in front of more than 27,000 people at Adelaide Oval last night.

Ludeman smacked the fastest BBL half-century – from just 18 balls.

He finished with an unbeaten 92 from 44 deliveries, cracking nine fours and five sixes in Adelaide’s eight-wicket thrashing of the Stars.

Chasing Melbourne’s 7-148, the Strikers took just 12.3 overs to reach their target as Ludeman unleashed.

“That is the good part of Twenty20 cricket, you get on a roll and just keep going with it, you don’t stop,” Ludeman said.

“That is why it’s so much fun and unreal to play.”

Ludeman was unaware he broke the quickest half-century BBL record set by his new teammate Craig Simmons, who took 20 balls to reach the milestone when playing for Perth Scorchers last summer.

“That is a bonus, I suppose,” Ludeman said.

Simmons watched Ludeman’s onslaught from the other end – they opened the batting and put on 83 runs from 5.3 overs.

“That is Twenty20 cricket, hit and miss,” Ludeman said.

“It all came off.”

Earlier, Stars’ import Pietersen made an instant impact, top-scoring with 66.

Pietersen smacked four sixes as the Stars posted 7-148 from 20 overs in the tournament opener – a score that proved to be hopelessly inadequate.

Fellow Englishman Luke Wright made 45 from 37 balls but Pietersen, making his BBL debut, stole the show for the Stars – before Ludeman’s furious knock eclipsed them both.

Pietersen, wearing a camera on his helmet and a microphone around his neck, clubbed his second ball for six and faced 46 deliveries overall.

Australia’s version of the “Big Show”, Glenn Maxwell, also made an imprint – not on the field, but on an Adelaide Oval gate.

Maxwell was incorrectly given out caught behind for seven when attempting a reverse sweep – the ball hit his pad – and angrily swiped his bat into the gate when departing the field.

The Strikers’ Brad Hodge takes a catch to dismiss Cameron White. Photo: Peter Argent

FULL SCOREBOARD

Stars Innings
C WHITE c Hodge b Laughlin 6 (10)
L WRIGHT c Ross b Botha 45 (37)
K PIETERSEN c Botha b Richardson 66 (46)
G MAXWELL c Ludeman b Zampa 7 (8)
D HUSSEY c (sub) b Laughlin 8 (8)
J FAULKNER b Richardson 6 (7)
T TRIFFITT not out 5 (4)
C ROSE run out (Richardson) 0 (0)
J HASTINGS not out 0 (0)
Sundries (1lb 4w) 5

Seven wickets for 148

Fall: 26 (White), 83 (Wright), 100 (Maxwell), 117 (Hussey), 143 (Faulkner), 144 (Pietersen), 144 (Rose).

Bowling: K Richardson 3-0-20-2 (1w), K Pollard 2-0-23-0, C Simmons 2-0-14-0 (1w), B Laughlin 4-0-34-2 (1w), S Tait 3-0-24-0 (1w), J Botha 2-0-11-1, A Zampa 4-0-21-1.

Batting time: 85 mins. Overs: 20.

Adelaide Strikers Innings
C SIMMONS c Wright b Hastings 30 (15)
T LUDEMAN not out 92 (44)
T HEAD c Pietersen b Hastings 22 (15)
B HODGE not out 1 (1)
Sundries (1b 2lb 1w) 4

Two wickets for 149

Fall: 83 (Simmons), 148 (Head).

Bowling: M Beer 3-0-24-0, J Bird 2-0-25-0, C Rose 2-0-36-0, J Faulkner 2-0-21-0, J Hastings 2.3-0-31-2 (1w), G Maxwell 1-0-9-0.

Batting time: 47 mins. Overs: 12.3.

Umpires: John Ward, M Graham-Smith.

Match Referee: Daryl Harper.

Third Umpire: S Nogajski.

Result: Adelaide Strikers won by 8 wickets

Man of the Match: Tim Ludeman

Points: Strikers 2.00 Stars 0.00

– AAP