Maxwell’s Explosive Knock Sends Stars into Knockout Round
After five straight defeats, Stars posted five straight wins to book a knockout final against Sydney Thunder. Glenn Maxwell may not be going to Sri Lanka, but there’s good news for him and the Melbourne Stars. They made it to the BBL finals after a huge win over the Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG, completing an amazing turnaround after a tough start to the season.
The Stars needed a win to jump past the Perth Scorchers into fourth place and secure a finals spot. They easily beat a Hurricanes team that had nothing left to play for.
Maxwell kept up his great form, scoring 76 not out off 32 balls. Meanwhile, quick bowler Mark Steketee took three early wickets, and the Stars reached the finals for the first time since BBL 09. After losing their first five matches, the Stars have won five straight and now face Sydney Thunder in a knockout match at the Showgrounds.
For the Hurricanes, the game didnโt matter much since theyโd already secured the top spot and a home final against Sydney Sixers in the Qualifier.
Maxwell Shines After Webster’s Half-Century
Everyone was watching Maxwell, but the big crowd at the MCG had to wait for their star player. Openers Sam Harper and Thomas Rogers set a solid base for the Stars. Harper, who had been struggling, started well by hitting four boundaries in the first two overs. But the powerplay didnโt go perfectly for the Stars, as Rogers was out to a clever delivery by Nathan Ellis.
Harper ended his run of low scores but couldnโt go on after being bowled out by Nikhil Chaudhary. Beau Webster struggled with timing, but Marcus Stoinis tried to keep the momentum with some big hits, scoring 32 off 19 balls. Unfortunately, he couldnโt keep it going, and Maxwell came to the crease.
Maxwell, fresh from his amazing 90 against the Renegades, wasted no time. He hit Chaudhary for a six on his fourth ball, setting the tone. Webster, inspired by Maxwell, picked up his game and reached his half-century with a six.
Related: Maxwell Smashes Renegades to Keep Starsโ Season Alive
Maxwell took charge after Websterโs dismissal and entertained the crowd with his powerful shots. He hit a six off Marcus Beanโs slower ball and kept going, finishing his half-century with a six off Cameron Gannon. He added two more sixes to help the Stars pass 200, giving him something to cheer about after being left out of the Australian squad for Sri Lanka.
Hurricanes Experiment with Their Attack
With nothing to lose, the Hurricanes decided to experiment with their attack. They left out Riley Meredith, and Nathan Ellis only bowled one over because of a sore groin. Ellis tried out different options, using seven bowlers in total. Tim David even bowled the first over, and Chris Jordan, returning from injury, struggled against Maxwellโs onslaught.
With Billy Stanlake injured and out of the finals, itโs down to Bean and Gannon to fill his spot. Bean impressed in his debut earlier this season, taking Stoinisโ wicket with a tricky delivery. But both Bean and Gannon struggled in this match, with Gannon going for 48 runs off 4 overs and Bean taking 1 for 45 off 4.
The Hurricanes also made several mistakes in the field, adding to their disappointing performance.
Steketee Continues Strong Form
Veteran bowler Steketee has been key to the Starsโ turnaround, taking 15 wickets in five games. He kept up his great form by striking early in this match. In the second over, he dismissed Caleb Jewell with a brilliant catch by Stoinis. Steketee followed up by getting Charlie Wakim and then trapping Ben McDermott lbw. He finished with 4 wickets for 24 runs off just 3.3 overs.
Owenโs Early Blast Goes in Vain
Mitchell Owen has been a breakout player for the Hurricanes this season, and their hopes rested on him getting off to a fast start. He tried his best by hitting big sixes off Joel Paris in the first over and continuing his attack on Peter Siddle. Owen raced to 34 off just 10 balls but slowed down before getting out for 38, leaving the Hurricanes with little chance of winning.
Ellis top-scored with 40 at the end, but he too was out, fittingly, to Maxwell, who celebrated with a fist pump, knowing the Stars were headed to the finals.