Maxwell fifty sets up Melbourne Stars' victory

Glenn Maxwell's quick-fire half-century set the platform for Melbourne Stars' 16-run victory against Sydney Sixers in the BBL clash at the MCG on Thursday (January 9). This was Stars' third successive victory after five losses on the trot, enabling them to vacate the bottom spot.

Maxwell, not considered for Australia's Test series against Sri Lanka, responded with an unbeaten 32-ball 58, which included five fours and three sixes, as he helped Stars finish with 156/5. This was followed by a disciplined performance with the ball from Stars as Sixers finished with 140/9 despite a 44-ball 53 from James Vince. Mark Steketee picked up 3-14 while Marcus Stoinis, Usama Mir and Peter Siddle bagged two apiece.

Although Ben Duckett delivered a promising start, striking a six and a four off Akeal Hosein in the first over, Stars were put under pressure with wickets falling regularly. Beau Webster's attempt to forge a productive partnership didn't materialise as he kept losing partners at the other end, with Stoinis's dismissal reducing Stars to 64/4 at the halfway stage of their innings.

Things, however, turned around with the arrival of Maxwell, who struck a six off Ben Dwarshuis on the second ball he faced. The frequency of boundaries increased and Stars capitalised on the surge overs. A big 19-run over came in the 13th when Maxwell struck two fours and Webster hit a six off Sean Abbott, followed by 14 off Dwarshuis, with Maxwell hitting a six and a four. A six off Dwarshuis in the 18th over helped Maxwell bring up a 26-ball fifty as Stars, at 147/4, were looking for a flourishing finish to their innings.

But Sixers did well in the last two overs. Abbott dismissed Webster for 48 and gave away only a single in the 19th, with Hilton Cartwright facing four dot balls. Only seven plus a leg-bye came in the final over bowled by Hayden Kerr as Sixers did not concede a boundary in the last 15 balls of the innings.

The Stars bowlers kept it tight and did not allow Sixers to get off to a quick start in the chase. Steketee picked up the wicket of Josh Philippe and only 27 came in the first four overs. Just when Vince and Kurtis Patterson began the acceleration, the latter fell to Usama. The Sixers, though, were moving along at a steady rate thanks to Vince, who took them to 90/2 after 13 overs.

Vince brought up his fifty, off 42 balls, with a four off Stoinis when the power surge was taken. But the Stars skipper began a slide by having Vince caught at the deep, and bagged the wicket of Moises Henriques soon after. Jordan Silk was bowled by Siddle and Usama accounted for Jack Edwards as Sixers slipped to 112/6. Hayden Kerr (21 off 15) tried to keep the fight going, but with the equation reading 28 off the last two overs, Stars were ahead. An 8 run over from Siddle and Steketee combined to pick up three wickets in the last two overs as the target proved beyond Sixers' reach.

Brief scores: Melbourne Stars 156/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 58, Beau Webster 48; Sean Abbott 3-29) beat Sydney Sixers 140/9 in 20 overs (James Vince 53, Hayden Kerr 21; Mark Steketee 3-14, Usama Mir 2-19) by 16 runs.