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Melbourne Stars registered their second win in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21 after they defeated Sydney Thunder by 22 runs at Manu⛎ka Oval in Canberra on Saturday.
Chasing 170, Thunder did not have a good start as they lost opener Usman Khawaja (7) in the third over. Then, Alex Hales (46) and skipper Callum Ferguson (54) formed a vital partnersh🦹ip of 69 runs for the second wicket.
The pair was looking set to cruise through, but Clint Hinchliffe had some other plans after he dismissed Hales ꩲin the 13th over.
Fergu🌃son, meanwhile, reached his first fifty of BBL 10. The asking rate was constantly getting high, and that forced Ferguson to sco▨re big. In an attempt to smash a boundary, Ferguson ended up giving a catch to Andre Fletcher in the 15th over.
The dismissal of Ferguson opened floodgates as Thunder lost their six wickets for just 30 runs. In the end, Thunder could only manage to reach 147/9, losiꦅng the contest by 22 runs.
Stoinis, Maxwell push Stars to 169/8
Earlier, Marcus Stoinis scored his first half-century of BBL 10. The power-striker hit a 29-ball fifty to help Stars set 169/8 against the Thunder. He timed the ball really well, hitting six fours and🏅 two sixes and never looked like he was going at the ball too hard.
The 31-year-old took 17 off Chris Green’s first over. Stoinis eventually fell to spinner Jono Cook (1-33), while trying to hit him inside out through the offside. Apart from Stoinis, skipper Glenn Maxwell made a 𓄧valuable contri🤡bution with 39 off 29 balls.
For Thunder, Daniel Sams, Green and debutant Tanveer Sangha picked up two wickets each. At the same time, Nathan McAndrew and Cook claimed one wicket apiece.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
2 wins from 2 games to start !
A fantastic performance from the entire team, defeating 🎐the Thunder by 22 runs. 💚
— Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL)
//𓄧twitter.com/ric🔥keyrecricket/status/1337633815334768645
//twitter.com/gnanajebin_/status/13376378536400527🦩36
Loving Callum Ferguson's old school Powerspot stickers.. 👌
— Brett McKay (@BMcSport)
Even though Maxwell is my captain, happy for . Takes 🌠a brave man to bowl to an in-form Maxwell during the power surge! 💪🏼
— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen)
Whoa looks like Dilbar Hussain asked for a third-man. Maxwell🍌 bluntly said No No
— Karthik Raj (@kartcric)
Glenn Maxwell pleading with Stoinis to go ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚto sli🌼p? 😂
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell)
"He’s been outstanding for a number of years now. And he’s just getting better and better"
on KFC Player of the Match Adam Zampa— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL)
Back to back wins for Melbourne Stars.
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Adam Zampa choked Thunder today. Had a terrific spell in the middle overs at an economy rate of 2 🔥 Alex Hales had no clue. His 2 overs𓆏 between 5-9 changed the game towards Melbourne Stars!
Bowled 63% dots in the whole game too! That's 15 out of 24 balls. Insane! 👌🏻
— Alankrith Shankar (@AlanzArena)
//twitter.com/ps26_11/status/1337679621983072256
Glenn Maxwell smil🐼ing and having fun makes me ෴smile and have fun.
— Tom Carpenter (@Carpo34)
