Stars on the board with Boxing Day victory

The Player: Pakistan spinner Usama Mir produced his best outing for the club to date in BBL|13, finishing with figures of 3-19 from his four over spell to minimise the run flow and restrict the Sixers’ batting lineup throughout the first half of the innings. 

Mir struck in his first over, dismissing Daniel Hughes to claim his 100th career wicket in T20 cricket, before removing dangerous duo Moises Henriques and Jordan Silk in the space of four deliveries. 

The combination of Mir and gloveman Sam Harper was the story of the first innings, with the pair linking twice before the drinks break for a stumping and a sharp catch. 

The Moment: The skipper shone late in the first innings in the field, gunning down James Vince with a direct hit run-out at the bowler’s end. 

Maxwell pounced on the ball from his position at mid-on to take an accurate shot at the stumps, removing the damaging Vince in the 18th over.

The superstar produced another highlight in the match, nailing a huge six over mid-wicket, hitting the roof of the SCG’s Bill O’Reilly Stand. 

The Result: The Stars started their run of games on the road, landing in New South Wales to take on the Sydney Sixers at the SCG on Boxing Day. 

Captain Glenn Maxwell sent the Sixers in on a challenging surface, with seamer Joel Paris returning to the side, assuming new ball duties as his signature swing bowling was on display throughout the powerplay. 

Imad Wasim represented the Melbourne Stars for the first time on Tuesday night, complementing fellow countrymen Usama Mir (3-19) and Haris Rauf (3-38), who took three wickets apiece to form a well credentialed bowling attack, comprising of a trio of Pakistan international representatives. 

Marcus Stoinis provided the Stars with an instant impact, coming on in the final over of the powerplay to dismiss Josh Philippe, thanks to a well-judged catch by wicket-keeper Sam Harper. 

A tidy over from Mir saw the Stars claim back to back scalps as the pressure mounted on the hosts, with a period of 44 balls without a boundary for the Sixers ending on the stroke of drinks, with the score sitting at 4/57.

Maxwell’s direct hit run-out, Wasim’s high ball grab, and a late snare from Tom Rogers at backward point were features of the Stars’ bright fielding efforts towards the back end of the innings, as a three wicket final over from Rauf saw the home side post a total of 8/154 from their 20 overs. 

Rogers got first look at the Sixers’ attack, punishing Jackson Bird for three boundaries in the second over of the innings, before Harper provided the same treatment to find the fence behind square on consecutive deliveries, and Maxwell launched a huge maximum which landed on the roof of the Bill O’Reilly Stand. 

An important 55 run stand between Beau Webster (35 off 32) and Hilton Cartwright (47* off 30) ultimately saw the Stars home, with the pair allowing time early in their innings to assess the conditions at the SCG, before upping the ante as they edged closer to the business end. The duo set themselves up to attack the final six overs of the match, calling for the power surge in the 17th over. 

The experienced Wasim found the rope twice as he provided a quickfire 14, before Jono Merlo turned the strike over to Cartwright to ice the game in the final over and secure the Stars’ first win of BBL|13. 

The Stars will remain on the road to face the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena on Thursday.