Melbourne Stars beat Hobart Hurricanes by 10 runs.
Hobart won the toss and elected to bowl first in the 27th match of the tournament.
Stars got their key spinner Adam Zampa back in the squad after a 1 match suspension.
Stars got their openers out in the middle as they were looking to break the streak of losses. They had lost three matches in a row before this and losing one more would severely affect their chances at the qualifying for the play-offs.
Fletcher and Stoinis came out to bat in a crucial match for Stars. Fletcher immediately showed his natural game as he hit 2 consecutive boundaries in the very first over. But his party was spoiled soon as he dismissed on the 4th delivery of the first over.
Stoinis looked in good touch but wasn’t getting any support from the other end as Larkin and Maxwell couldn’t hit the ball well and were looking painfully out of touch in this match. Pooran and Cartwright provided the partnership Stoinis needed at the other end as he went on to score his another BBL fifty.
Pooran and Cartwright added a quick 26 and 36 respectively to the scoreboard.
Stoinis remained not out till the end as he ensured that the Stars went beyond 180. Stoinis ended his innings on 97 off just 55 deliveries. Stars set a target of 184 for the Hurricanes to chase.
Hurricanes didn’t start their innings well as they lost their opener and the experienced D’Arcy Short cheaply. Ben McDermott and David Malan got the things under control and went ahead to chase the target. But Malan was found trapped in front of the wickets and was dismissed by Zampa on 26. Colin Ingram played a small knock of 17 but couldn’t help the team much which possible due to outstanding fielding in the deep by Andre Fletcher. Hurricanes skipper Peter Handscomb played a quick fire 21 off just 9 deliveries but he too fell as the Hurricanes were nearing the target. Ben McDermott at the other end, provided stability from one end which ensured that the Hurricanes are in the chase till the end. He played a match turning knock of 91 off just 58 deliveries. He fell just short to pull off an extraordinary chase courtesy a brilliant catch in the deep again by Andre Fletcher.
At the end Hurricanes fell 10 short of the target as the Stars end their losing streak.
The Player of the Match was given to Marcus Stoinis for his match winning knock of 97. With this victory, Stars are now at fourth position in the points table.
