Melbourne Stars scored a thrilling victory over arch-rivals Melbourne Renegades in a pulsating win. Big Bash League derby at the MCG on Saturday. Ben Duckett's half-century laid the foundations for the Stars' successful chase, securing their second straight win after a difficult start to the season.
Duckett Anchors Stars' Chase
Chasing 170, the Stars faced immediate setbacks, losing two wickets inside the first two overs. Thomas Rogers missed a straight delivery, and Sam Harper was out after a mix-up with Duckett, leaving the Stars in trouble at 3/2.
With the game slipping away, Duckett took charge. The English batting counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries, including two sixes off Tom Rogers, to stabilize the innings. He found a solid partner in Marcus Stoinis, who struck from the start, racing to 24 off just 13 balls.
Duckett delivered his third shutout of the season, but just when the game looked in control, the Renegades struck back. Two narrow overs pushed the asking rate higher and the Stars' decision to take the Power Surge backfired as they lost Duckett and Stoinis in consecutive overs.
Maxwell and Cartwright seal the deal
With the game on a knife edge, Hilton Cartwright and Glenn Maxwell stepped up. Cartwright's six off the last ball of the Power Surge settled nerves and Maxwell followed it up with a trademark reverse shot from Will Sutherland.
In the penultimate over, Maxwell again cleared the ropes and with eight needed off the last four balls, Cartwright delivered the killer blow. He launched a massive 121-metre six, the biggest of the season, before ending the game with a boundary.
The Stars reached 170/6 with three balls to spare, completing a stunning comeback after starting their season with five straight losses.
The Renegade's efforts with the Bat
Earlier, the Renegades struggled to find momentum after being sent out to bat. Josh Brown fell in the opener, and Jake Fraser-McGurk struggled to get going, managing just 6 off 11 balls before hitting a six and departing the next ball.
Tim Seifert's effort against Usama Mir saw him lose his stumps, leaving the Renegades reeling. At the halfway mark, their driving range hovered around six.
Jacob Bethell and Jonathan Wells provided some stability, adding 71 runs for the fourth wicket. However, just as the Renegades looked set for a strong finish, Bethell won a ball and Wells fell right behind.
Laurie Evans came up big to help the Renegades post 169/7, but it wasn't enough to stop the Stars from stealing the show.
Stay updated with all the cricket action, follow Cricadium IN WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, telegram AND Instagram
Source link