BBL 5 Match 16 Review: Luke Wright’s magnificent ton gives Melbourne Stars the derby

A record BBL crowd flocked to the MCG to witness a crucial derby between the two Melbourne outfits. With the Stars placed on 6th and Renegades on 7th position on the points table, the match held great importance for both teams. The Melbourne Renegades posted 7-161 against their cross-town rivals in front of more than 80,000 fans however it didn’t prove enough as Englishman Luke Wright’s special hundred took the Stars home in fine style.

Earlier in the evening, David Hussey won the toss and asked the Renegades to bat on another batting paradise at the historic ground. Ex-Stars skipper Cameron White was the main man for the Renegades, hammering a brilliant 54 from 39 to swing the momentum in his side’s favour after the Stars snatched a couple of big wickets. Chris Gayle was the first to fall for the Renegades, the big-hitting West Indian losing his wicket to John Hastings as he miscued a shot straight to Kevin Pietersen at mid on.

Finch (36 from 29) looked to be setting himself for a big total but he too gifted a catch, this time to James Faulkner in Marcus Stoinis’s first over. White took it upon himself to take control of the innings, hammering consecutive straight sixes from leg-spinner Adam Zampa and going on to brilliantly combine power and innovation in a critical half-century for his team.

Matt Wade (24 from 21) also found his groove before a failed ramp shot ended in the hands of wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb. The Stars’ comeback continued when White was dismissed minutes later. Tom Beaton immediately continued his strong form, straight driving his first ball for six, but he came unstuck an over later in attempting another maximum and finding Zampa at deep midwicket. Hastings finished with 4-29 in his return match from a shoulder injury to help keep the Renegades to a moderate total.

The Stars’ innings was only about Wright who looked in a belligerent mood right from the outset. His opening partner Stoinis was dismissed for 7 by Chris Tremain and KP went for 6 being caught by Wade of Cameron Gannon. While Stoinis stayed in the crease and tries to slash one, KP went to hook a brilliant short ball. Wright, though, wasn’t to be distracted by anything and kept smashing boundaries at will.

Maxwell steadied the innings with 22 before being cleaned up by Dwayne Bravo with a fuller delivery on off stump. This was to be the last moment of joy for the Renegades as Wright took center stage as well as a majority of the strike. With the score at 99/3 at the end of 13 overs, the men in red may have fancied their chances however the right-hander was in a destructive and unstoppable mood.

Wright was batting on 63 off 42 at the start of the 15^th over and by the time it finished he was 80 off 47. Xavier Doherty was smashed for 2 sixes and one four in this over which brought the match firmly in Stars’ grasp. With 14 needed off 9, Wright smashed a 6 to bring up a well-deserved hundred. He finished the game with a four off the first delivery of the final over and remained unbeaten on 109 off 63. His knock included 11 fours and 4 maximums. Handscomb faced just 12 balls and scored an unbeaten 13 giving the good company by rotating the strike effectively.

Brief Scores:

Melbourne Renegades: 161/7 in 20 overs (C White 54; J Hastings 4/29)

Melbourne Stars: 163/3 in 19.1 overs (L Wright 109*; C Tremain 1/22)

Man of the match: Luke Wright (Melbourne Stars)