Spiceman turns up the heat against the Canes

A pair of stunning outfield catches from Andre Fletcher has backed up a brutal Marcus Stoinis knock as the Melbourne Stars roared back to life against Hobart on its own turf. SEE THE FULL WRAP >>

A PAIR of stunning outfield catches from “Spiceman” Andre Fletcher has backed up a brutal Marcus Stoinis knock as the Melbourne Stars roared back to life against Hobart on its own turf.

Two days after falling in heap chasing 165, the Stars were wobbling at 3-63 at the halfway point of their innings at Blundstone Arena having being sent in by the Hurricanes and with talisman Glenn Maxwell failing for the first time this summer.

However Stoinis _ who signalled his intent from his first delivery of the match by slog sweeping Johan Botha out of the ground _ picked up the slack as the visitors piled on 120 from the last 10 overs to reach 6-183.

Ben McDermott of the Hurricanes hits the ball for six during the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena, on January 04, 2021, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

The Hurricanes again lost D’Arcy Short cheaply as his lean tournament continued, and despite a superb response from Ben McDermott (91 from 58) the hosts fell 10 runs short after Fletcher’s fielding brilliance snuffed out the chase.

Stoinis finished unconquered on 97, clubbing seven boundaries and seven sixes in his 55 ball masterpiece.

Needing 21 runs from the last over to reach three figures, last year’s player of the tournament cracked Scott Boland for four boundaries in the first five balls, but was unable to dig out a yorker on the last.

Hilton Cartwright provided a 24-ball 36 cameo and Nicholas Pooran added 26 from 21, but Stoinis proved unstoppable, with his last 65 runs coming from only 24 balls.

Andre Fletcher of the Stars celebrates taking a catch to dismiss Ben McDermott of the Hurricanes during the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena, on January 04, 2021, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Despite owning the three biggest successful chases in Big Bash history, Hobart had not mowed down a bigger total since overhauling the Sydney Thunder’s 193 in December 2018.

McDermott’s heroics gave the side a chance until Fletcher pocketed two full length diving catches in 10 balls, the first to remove Colin Ingram at deep point, and then again to get the key wicket of McDermott, who had hit a tracer bullet over cover which appeared headed for six only to be spectacularly cut off.

EVENTFUL OPENING

The lack of DRS has been a hot topic all tournament with several umpiring howlers and it took just four balls for it again to surface as a talking point. Andre Fletcher was given out caught behind to a full Riley Meredith outswinger, but was immediately far from impressed with the decision and replays suggested the West Indian may have hit the ground. It capped an absorbing start to the match, with Fletcher edging the first delivery wide of slip for four, just keeping out a searing yorker next ball before French cutting the third to the fine leg fence.

Ben McDermott of the Hurricanes bats during the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena, on January 04, 2021, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

SANDEEP STRIKES BACK

Former Star Sandeep Lamichhane exacted revenge on his one-time skipper when he claimed the big scalp of Glenn Maxwell. Two days earlier Maxwell, a noted class act against spinners, scored 16 runs from the eight deliveries he faced from the Nepalese tweaker, hitting two boundaries and a six. But after working two singles from his first two balls faced Maxwell attempted a reverse slog sweep on his next, getting into a tangle and being trapped LBW.

BIG BLOW

Ben McDermott has launched some big sixes into the stands during his career but a savage blow off Hilton Cartwright would be among his best. Cartwright, who has been sparingly used so far in BBL|10, dished up a rank full toss which McDermott latched on to and sent sailing onto the roof of the Ricky Ponting stand, bringing up his half century in the process.