BBL: Marcus Stoinis and Melbourne Stars on record rampage

Marcus Stoinis smashed the highest score in BBL history as the Stars put the Sixers to the sword at the MCG.

Marcus Stoinis reaches for a wide delivery during his record-breaking unbeaten innings of 147 at the MCG. Picture: AAP

If that was the Sydney Sixers’ plan to limit the damage Glenn Maxwell might have inflicted on them, they better come up with a different strategy next time.

They may have succeeded in limiting the Melbourne Stars captain to just five runs, but only because he faced just two balls after spending most of the innings padded up watching Marcus Stoinis destroy Sydney’s misfiring attack.

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Lucky to be playing after he escaped suspension and was given a $7500 fine for his homophobic slur at Kane Richardson last week, Stoinis delivered one of the most brutal innings in T20 cricket to rewrite the Big Bash record books.

His unbeaten 147 – from 79 balls – was the highest individual score in BBL, surpassing D’Arcy Short’s 122 not out last season. Stoinis smashed 13 fours and eight sixes for a century in boundaries.

The 207-run partnership he shared with Hilton Cartwright for the opening wicket was another BBL record, eclipsing the 172 set by Luke Wright and Rob Quiney from 2012.

Cartwright’s contribution was totally overshadowed though he was no slouch, whacking six fours and three sixes in making 59 off 40 balls before falling in the final over, bringing Maxwell to the crease.

The Stars just missed the record for the highest ever BBL total when they finished with 1-219, but that was enough to give them a resounding 44-run victory after the Sixers limped to 7-174 in reply in the top-of-the-table clash at the MCG.

Now four points clear, the Stars are heavy favourites to go all the way and win their first title.

The flickering hope for the Sixers is that they will be much stronger when the finals roll around with Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott all returning from international duty and injury.

Stoinis had never made a T20 hundred before this one – 99 was his previous best – but he atoned for that near-miss with an astonishing display to retain the Golden Cap as the leading runscorer this season.

“What a place to play cricket,” he told Fox Sports. “I love the Melbourne Stars, I love playing at the MCG, I love this time of year.”

Fox Sports commentator Shane Warne led the tributes to Stoinis, saying he should be picked in the Australian team for this year’s T20 World Cup.

“We’ve seen how well he’s done this year at the top of the order. He can bat anywhere in this form of the game, he’s a super player,” Warne said.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH