Player of the Match
Player of the Match

10:45pm Right. That was pretty fun. Not quite the 40-overs-contest we thought we were in for at the start, but the game had a bit of everything - collapses, some scintillating batting, fiery bowling and the usual chaos that rain causes.

Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we loved bringing it to you. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Sudeep and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Goodbye and take care!

Glenn Maxwell is the Player of the Match, here is what he has to say: (On his bowling) My last four overs had gone for about 74, so was not too confident of bowling. A bit of rain helped my bowling, though. (On his batting) I was thinking of staying still and playing good cricket shots. But your mind sometimes switches off when the ball is coming at you and then I played that way for the first 8-9 balls. Once I was lucky to come through that phase, I got it sorted. (On winning two in a row) It has been a while. We were doing all the right things, talking about the right things. Means a lot going into the next game. (On getting struck on the left hand while bowling) I will ice it up and hopefully it will be right (for the next game). I feel I am playing as well as I have and it is a little frustrating that these niggles keep popping up. But we will see how it turns out.

10:40pm Phew, that was some game. A layer of intrigue was added to it with the run-chase being reduced to seven overs. The Stars then contributed to the drama by losing three wickets in no time, with Harper and Stoinis departing in the first over itself.

Maxwell, too, swung like a rusty gate at the start and was very fortunate to still be out there. Once he got his eye in, though, he did not give the Hurricanes a look-in, playing shots all around the dial and ensuring that the required run-rate did not get out of hand. Rogers played his role beautifully too, finishing 21 off 14, while Maxwell ended up with an unbeaten 35 off 18 balls.

The Hurricanes, apart from the franticness of the seven-over shootout, will probably look back at their batting innings and think they did not do enough. With the ball, too, Dooley and Jordan could not cash in on the early advantage Ellis and Meredith fashioned. The Hurricanes' next game sees them take on the SydneyThunder on New Year's Day, and they will hope for a much more concerted effort.

6.3
3
Anderson to Maxwell, 3 runs, proper chaos, and the Stars have won this by seven wickets, with three balls to spare! Length on middle and off. Maxwell unfurls the reverse again and slams it towards backward point. The ball hits the fielder on his knee and it deflects past short third, who is running to his right trying to cover it. Rolls away far enough to allow both batters to scamper back for three, and the Stars, after all the drama, finally have their second win on the bounce!

Point, backward point, short third man and short fine leg in the ring

6.2
1
Anderson to Rogers, 1 run, banged in short on off stump. Rogers gets onto the back foot and pulls it on the bounce to deep mid wicket. That was not very far away from carrying to the sweeper

Short third, backward point, extra cover and mid off in the circle

6.1
0
Anderson to Rogers, no run, hard length on off stump. Comes onto Rogers quicker than he anticipates and also cramps him for room. Stabs it towards the bowler, and the Hurricanes begin the over with a dot

Anderson to bowl the final over. Over the wicket to Rogers. The Stars still well in control of this run-chase but funny things happen in the last over...

END OF OVER:
6 | 5 Runs | MS: 63/3 (93 runs required from 14 overs, RR: 10.50, RRR: 6.64)

  • Glenn Maxwell32 (17b)
  • Thomas Rogers20 (12b)
  • Nathan Ellis2-0-13-1
  • Patrick Dooley1-0-17-0
5.6
0
Ellis to Maxwell, no run, dot ball! Shortish outside off. Maxwell gets on top of the bounce and times his cut well. Cannot get it past backward point, though
5.5
0
Ellis to Maxwell, no run, into the blockhole outside off. Maxwell cannot get under it and squeezes it out to mid off

Four more needed now. Can Maxwell finish it with one blow?

5.4
1
Ellis to Rogers, 1 run, very full on off stump. Rogers digs it out towards mid off and scampers across to the other end
5.3
4
Ellis to Rogers, FOUR, was that a chance?! Slow and short outside off. Rogers sits deep in his crease and pummels it in the general direction of extra cover. Hain got a hand to it but did it carry? Looks like it did. To add insult to injury, that went through his hands and into the fence!
5.2
0
Ellis to Rogers, no run, full and hung outside off again. Goes past Rogers' flailing blade and sneaks just inside the tramlines too
5.1
0
Ellis to Rogers, no run, off-pace on a length outside off. Rogers advances but has to reach out because of how wide it is. Scuffed to extra cover in the end

Just nine needed now. Surely the Stars will not botch it from here? Ellis to bowl the penultimate over

END OF OVER:
5 | 18 Runs | MS: 58/3 (98 runs required from 15 overs, RR: 11.60, RRR: 6.53)

  • Glenn Maxwell32 (15b)
  • Thomas Rogers15 (8b)
  • Patrick Dooley1-0-17-0
  • Chris Jordan1-0-16-0
4.6
6
Dooley to Maxwell, SIX, wow, just wow! Ventures into the slot on off stump, and gets punished. Maxwell brings out the reverse and crrrunccchhheeees it high and long over the deep point fence!
4.6
1w
Dooley to Maxwell, 1 wide, spears this down leg, and that is not what the Hurricanes would have wanted. Maxwell failed to make contact and the umpire had no qualms in calling it a wide

Sowmya : "Maxwell's aggression and experience is sure to see the stars home "

4.5
1lb
Dooley to Rogers, 1 leg bye, fired into the pads. Rogers has a mow at it and misses. The ball pings off his pads into the off side, and the Stars get a leg bye
4.4
1
Dooley to Maxwell, 1 run, short and darted into the body. Maxwell swivels nicely and pulls it away towards deep backward square leg

Dooley goes around the wicket to Maxwell. Maxwell will not hold back...

4.3
1
Dooley to Rogers, 1 run, length outside off. Rogers comes down the track and punches it uppishly towards long off

19 off 16 now

4.2
4
Dooley to Rogers, FOUR, four more! Too short and too wide outside off. Rogers throws the plumbing at it and butchers it past backward point. The sweeper on the cover point fence puts in a sprawling dive but in vain!
4.1
4
Dooley to Rogers, FOUR, oh dear! Length outside off. Rogers gets down on one knee and smears it towards long on. David seems to lose it in the lights and perhaps overruns it. The ball bounces in front of him and bobbles into the fence!

First look at spin this innings. Dooley to bowl. Will gripping the ball be a problem? Let's find out

END OF OVER:
4 | 16 Runs | MS: 40/3 (116 runs required from 16 overs, RR: 10.00, RRR: 7.25)

  • Glenn Maxwell25 (13b)
  • Thomas Rogers6 (4b)
  • Chris Jordan1-0-16-0
  • Riley Meredith2-0-15-2
3.6
6
Jordan to Maxwell, SIX, what a shot that is, my word! Full and wide outside off, and Jordan thinks he has bowled it outside Maxwell's arc. Maxwell, though, gives himself ample room, peels the outer cover off the ball and creams it over backward point for six!

Stars 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1GJ MaxwellSB Harper
2nd0MP StoinisGJ Maxwell
3rd5GJ MaxwellHWR Cartwright
4th61GJ MaxwellTF Rogers

Big Bash League

TeamMWLPTNRR
BH1071160.972
SS1062140.339
PS1063130.725
AS1054110.331
HH10468-0.268
MS10468-1.051
MR10266-0.289
ST10174-0.652