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!
Hurricanes vs Stars, 17th Match at Hobart, BBL 2023, Dec 28 2023 - Match Result
Stars won by 7 wickets (with 3 balls remaining) (DLS method)
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.
Point, backward point, short third man and short fine leg in the ring
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
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...
dot ball! Shortish outside off. Maxwell gets on top of the bounce and times his cut well. Cannot get it past backward point, though
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?
very full on off stump. Rogers digs it out towards mid off and scampers across to the other end
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!
full and hung outside off again. Goes past Rogers' flailing blade and sneaks just inside the tramlines too
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
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!
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 "
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
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...
length outside off. Rogers comes down the track and punches it uppishly towards long off
19 off 16 now
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!
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
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!
off-pace on a back of a length outside off. Maxwell reaches out for it and flat-bats it over the bowler's head for a brace
clean as a whistle! Slot ball on middle and leg. Maxwell sits deep in his crease, whips his wrists through the ball and sends it flat over the deep square leg fence. Almost took out a couple of his teammates in the dugout!
back of a length on middle and leg. Rogers gets up on his toes and works it towards deep mid wicket
Mid off, extra cover, backward point and mid on in the circle
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
Bellerive Oval, Hobart | |
Toss | Melbourne Stars, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2023/24 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 28 December 2023 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Melbourne Stars 2, Hobart Hurricanes 0 |
Over 7 • MS 67/3
Stars won by 7 wickets (with 3 balls remaining) (DLS method)