Melbourne Stars edge out Hobart Hurricanes in rain-hit encounter

A half-century partnership between Peter Handscomb and a brave Marcus Stoinis was enough for Melbourne Stars to edge Hobart Hurricanes in a rain-affected match in Launceston.

Requiring 80 off 11 overs after two rain stoppages in the Hobart Hurricanes innings, Stoinis and Handscomb rescued the Stars from a precarious 2 for 3 with a 52-run partnership before the match was called off after 7.3 overs. Stars were four ahead of the par score.

Stoinis fell just before the match was abandoned but showed plenty of grit after copping a brutal blow to the helmet from a sharp Riley Meredith delivery early in his innings.

After being sent in, the Hurricanes' top-order struggled against Dale Steyn and Nathan Coulter-Nile in favourable bowling conditions before rain halted play thrice to reduce their innings to 11 overs.

D'Arcy Short hasn't quite hit his straps this season - by his lofty standards - but received good news before play after being a late inclusion in Australia's upcoming ODI tour to India. Short's good spirits didn't last long, however, as he fell loosely for a duck in the first over.

The Stars' fast bowlers relished overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch making the BBL contest feel more like a vintage WACA Test match. Coulter-Nile enjoyed the menacing bounce and promptly dismissed Simon Milenko with a rearing short ball that befuddled the batsman.

The pyrotechnics on-field was matched off it with lightning flashing close to the ground. Play then stopped due to rain with the Hurricanes lurching at 2 for 29 after five overs.

After a 20-minute stoppage, captain Glenn Maxwell went with the dual spin options of Adam Zampa and Sandeep Lamichhane in a bid to race through overs with rain ominously looming.

Boundaries were hard to come by on resumption with Caleb Jewell and Ben McDermott content to work the ball around, as the Hurricanes reached 2 for 52 after nine overs.

After four straight overs of spin, Maxwell reverted to Steyn who rewarded his skipper's faith by claiming a frustrated McDermott before rain once again halted play.

After nearly an hour's break, Steyn and Coulter-Nile claimed wickets with successive deliveries, as the pitch appeared faster on resumption.

The shortened match appeared to favour the Stars, but local lad James Faulkner turned the contest immediately by dismissing Nic Maddinson and promoted No.3 Nick Larkin off successive deliveries.

Faulkner narrowly missed out on a hat-trick in his next over, but met his match with Stoinis in sublime form until the batsman was hit in the grille by a brute of a bouncer from Meredith

After receiving some medical attention, Stoinis bravely battled on and found a willing partner in Handscomb to ensure the Stars edged ahead.

Hostilities resumed in the eight over with Stoinis initially getting hold of Meredith with a boundary before holing out to a short ball on the very next delivery. Rain fell again, however, and the match was soon called off.