Melbourne: Melbourne Stars broke the eight-match Big Bash League. [BBL] Losing continuity thanks to Marcus Stoins’ batting masterclass and Glenn Maxwell’s brilliant catch in the outfield.
The Stars beat defending champions Brisbane Heat by five wickets at the Gabba after losing their opening five this season and the last three of last year’s campaign.
Batting first, Heat scored 149 for 7 thanks to Max Bryant’s unbeaten 77 off 48 balls, during which Maxwell produced one of the best individual fielding displays seen in the BBL. Big catch.
The hosts got off to a good start in chasing the Stars’ run, with pacers Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson destroying the top order at 14 for 3. Import Dan Lawrence (64* for 38) put on a 132-run partnership for the third wicket.
Stoins hit Paul Walter for four fours in an over and accelerated his chase all the way, losing anything to secure his first win of the season as Stars captain. Lawrence stepped up at the end to end the pressure from Stoins in an innings of class.
Maxwell has done countless feats of genius in T20 cricket but he took it to the next level with a classic catch for the ages, the fourth of his innings. The 36-year-old leapt meters over the long-on boundary to catch the ball in one hand before tossing it back into the field of play in the air. He then calmly stepped back over the boundary rope to complete the catch and send a stunned Will Priest-Widge (4) on his way.
The ball kept spinning from the start and it vindicated Stoins’ decision to send the hat in. Heat captain Colin Munro (1) continued his poor form in the BBL this summer and now has 23 runs in four innings. Fellow opener Tom Benton (13) fell early for Mark Stecketti’s second wicket against his former franchise. The hosts were on the rack when veteran Peter Siddle clean bowled Nathan McSweeney (9) on the first ball of his spell.