Stars lose to Sixers in final game of season | Melbourne Stars - BBL
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KFC BBL|10

Stars lose to Sixers in final game of season

26 January 2021

Dan Batten for Melbourne Stars Media

The Melbourne Stars have gone down to the Sydney Sixers in their final home-and-away fixture by five wickets with the visitors reaching the target with a ball to spare. ​

Needing to claim all four points in their final game to qualify for finals - after a win from the Melbourne Renegades kept their season alive – the Stars posted a solid total of 6-177 but their 72 runs in the first 10 overs wasn’t enough to claim the Bash Boost.

In response the Sixers recovered from a rocky start - losing two key wickets - passing Bash Boost target in the eight over with the sting going out of the contest from there.

A quick-fire partnership between Dan Christian and Jordan Silk steered the Sixers to a victory, with Christian the star clubbing 49 from just 23 balls.

Earlier, Stars captain Glenn Maxwell breathed life into an innings that lacked spark early, blasting 66 from 41 balls in a strong return following an inconsistent patch of form.


Middle-order batsman Hilton Cartwright (38* from 19) continued to flourish as a finisher with three massive final over sixes, while the Stars had steady contributors with the ball.

For the Sixers, James Vince’s 45 motored his side to the Bash Boost point and Ben Dwarshuis claimed three wickets.

The Stars finish their BBL|10 campaign in seventh place on the table. 

MAXWELL BREAKS RUT

Maxwell broke a scoring drought in spectacular fashion when his side needed him most after arriving to the crease with the Stars in a precarious position.

Needing to launch in their pursuit of four points, Maxwell combined with batsman Nic Maddinson for 44 from 26 deliveries to get the Stars to a reasonable Bash Boost target of 72.

Maxwell took seven balls to hit his first boundary but accelerated from there, clubbing another eight fours and a monster six - crunching a pull shot over the fence - on his way to 66.


TERMINATOR GOES BANANAS

The Terminator produced some final over fireworks.

Cartwright hammered three massive sixes over the leg-side to close out the innings in style for the Stars, seeing them reach a competitive total of 177.

He posted an unbeaten 38 from 19 deliveries in all – his fourth not out in five innings, scoring 107 runs in that period in his new role as a middle-order finisher.


HOT START GIVES STARS HOPE

The Stars got off to the perfect start defending 72 runs off the first ten overs to secure the Bash Boost point, putting the Sixers under pressure by taking two early wickets.

Billy Stanlake and Sam Rainbird struck with the big breakthroughs of Josh Philippe and Daniel Hughes to put the visitors on the back foot at 2/9.

However, from there the Sixers got on top to comfortably reach the Bash Boost target.