BRISBANE: Skipper Marcus Stoinis and Dan Lawrence’s defiant partnership propelled Melbourne Stars to their first triumph in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024 as they edged home side Brisbane Heat by five wickets in the 19th match here at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest 150-run target, the Stars had been reduced to 14/3 in 3.1 overs as Xavier Bartlett Spencer Johnson ran through their top order.
Following the early hiccup, Stoinis joined Lawrence in the middle and launched an astounding recovery.
The duo put together a match-defining 132-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which saw both the batters amassing quickfire half-centuries.
The crucial stand eventually culminated with Stoinis’s dismissal on the first delivery of the 18th over when the Stars needed just four runs to win.
Stoinis smashed 10 fours on his way to a 48-ball 62.
For his recovering knock, Marcus Stoinis was adjudged the player of the match.
The Stars then lost another wicket on the next delivery as Bartlett removed Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck, bringing the total down to 146/5 in 17.2 overs.
Meanwhile, their batting mainstay Lawrence stood firm and eventually hit the winning runs on the first delivery of the penultimate over to seal the victory.
He remained the top-scorer for the Stars with an unbeaten 64 off just 38 balls, studded with seven fours and two sixes.
For Heat, Bartlett bagged four wickets, while Johnson picked one.
Put into bat first, the Heat only managed to accumulate 149/7 despite Max Bryant’s unbeaten half-century.
The middle-order batter top-scored for the home side with an unbeaten 77 from 48 balls, comprised of four fours and six sixes.
Besides him, only Paul Walter (21) and Tom Banton (13) amassed double figures, while the rest of the Heat batters struggled against a disciplined Stars’ bowling attack.
Mark Steketee spearheaded Stars’ bowling charge with two wickets, while Usama Mir, Lawrence, Peter Siddle and Joel Paris made one scalp apiece.
Despite a comprehensive five-wicket victory, Melbourne Stars remained at the bottom of the BBL 2024 standings with two points in six matches, while Brisbane Heat remained at sixth with four points in five matches.
- Marcus Stoinis