BBL 5 Match 10 Review: Maxwell, Handscomb star for Melbourne

The 10th match of the Big Bash League 2015 started in an emphatic fashion with Michael Lumb tearing past James Faulkner in the second over of the game. His stay was cut short following a full and straight delivery from Beer, that rapped the pad before the umpire put up his finger.

The Sixers picked up singles and found the odd boundaries to tick the scorecard. Moises Henriques middled the ball well and luck too favored him on occasions. He scored 41 runs with four boundaries before dropping to his knees after pulling his hamstring.

Adam Zampa bowled well for the Melbourne Stars, darting the ball and varying his length according to the situation. He finished his four overs, giving away only 23 runs and picking up Nic Maddinson’s wicket. Only 40 runs came in the last five overs, as the Sixers reached 139/6 in 20 overs. James Faulkner was little expensive while the rest of the bowlers did well to keep things under control.

The Stars had to chase 140 from the given 20 overs at a required rate of 7 per over. Steve O’Keefe took his task well and cracked the timber to send Marcus Stoinis home in the third ball of the first over.

Jackson Bird complimented the previous over well. He bowled short, he bowled full and good length to register the third maiden of the season. He got the wicket of Luke Wright next, to restrict the scorers to 21/2 in the fifth over. The Sixers were very much in the game until Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb built a solid stand. Maxwell brought up his fifty from 35 balls, courtesy five boundaries, as the game was gripping away from the hands of the Sixer’s. The partnership was finally broken by Bollinger in the 15th over after Maxwell found Lumb at deep square-leg.

24 runs were needed from 24 balls, as David Hussey joined Handscomb in the middle. Hussey belted a six in the very next over to take the score to 124. With 10 runs required, Handscomb smacked a six off Sean Abbott to notch up a much needed fifty. He stepped out on the next ball but found Botha at long-on. The fielder took a dolly as the Stars lost their fourth wicket with a hit away from victory.

The drama was not over yet, as Faulkner mistimed one to give Haddin catching practise. It was left to Triffitt to find the winning runs, and he did it in style by pulling one over midwicket. The Stars sealed their first game of the season, whereas the Sixers have themselves to blame.

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