Melbourne Stars pulled off a stunning win over arch-rivals Melbourne Renegades in a pulsating match Big Bash League derby at the MCG on Saturday. Ben Duckett’s collected half-century laid the foundation for the Stars’ successful run chase, securing their second straight win after a difficult start to the season.
Duckett Anchors Stars’ Chase
Chasing 170, Stars faced an immediate setback, losing two wickets inside the first two overs. Thomas Rogers missed a straight delivery and Sam Harper ran out after a mix-up with Duckett, leaving the Stars in trouble at 3/2.
After the game faltered, Duckett took over. The England batsman counter-attacked with a string of boundaries, including two sixes off Tom Rogers, to stabilize the innings. He found a solid partner in Marcus Stoinis, who attacked from the start, racing to 24 off just 13 balls.
Duckett hit his third half-century of the season, but just when it looked like the game was under control, the Renegades hit back. Two tight overs pushed the required ratio higher and the Stars decision to take the Power Surge backfired as they lost both Duckett and Stoinis in consecutive overs.
Maxwell and Cartwright make a 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 the nerves and Maxwell followed with a famous reverse six off Will Sutherland.
In the penultimate over, Maxwell cleared the ropes again, and with eight needed off the last four balls, Cartwright delivered the killer blow. He blasted a massive 121-metre six, the biggest of the season, before sealing the game with a boundary.
Stars reached 170/6 with three balls to spare, completing a stunning comeback after starting the season with five consecutive defeats.
Outlaw fights with Bata
Earlier, the Renegades struggled to find any momentum after being sent in 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 dismissing the next ball.
Tim Seifert’s attempted reversal against Usama Mir caused him to lose the rebound, leaving the Renegades reeling. At the halfway mark, their running speed was around six.
Jacob Bethell and Jonathan Wells provided some stability, adding 71 runs for the fourth wicket. However, just when the Renegades looked set for a strong finish, Bethell was at his best and Wells went down soon after.
Laurie Evans chipped in with a crucial cameo to help the Renegades post 169/7, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Stars from stealing the show.
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