Joe Clarke and Hilton Cartwright shone as Melbourne Stars blitz Brisbane Heat by 20 runs in a Big Bash League match on Monday (December 27).
Clarke’s prolific 85 and Hilton’s handsome 79 helped Melbourne post a huge total of 207 for the loss of nine wickets.
Melbourne didn’t get the best of the start as they lost their first wicket on the very first ball of the match in the form of Marcus Stoinis. The flurry of wickets continued as Joe Burns and captain Glenn Maxwell took the longest walk to the pavilion in quick succession.
Then came the savior Clarke who not only steadied the Melbourne’s boat but also kept the scoreboard running at the right pace. In his 44-ball blitzkrieg, he belted 5 big ones and seven boundaries. Clarke was ably supported by the wrecker-in-chief Hilton, who turned out to be the nightmare for the Brisbane bowlers as he punched 8 big sixes in his 44-ball knock.
After Clarke-Hilton star-show, Qais Ahmad struck 16 off 6 balls down the order to help Melbourne get past the 200-mark.
Mark Steketee was the pick of the bowlers for Brisbane as he plucked 3/40 which included the wickets of Stoinis, Maxwell and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
It was the match to forget for Liam Guthrie who gave away a record 70 runs in a spell of four overs. He was taken to cleaners by the Melbourne batters.
Guthrie was hit for seven sixes and two fours during his record-breaking spell. He gave extras as well with one no ball and six wides. His fourth over was the most expensive one as he went for 23 runs in the 15th over of the innings. Despite going for 70 runs, he managed to take two wickets as well including the scalp of half-centurion Hilton.
Chasing a big target of 208, Brisbane openers Max Bryant and Chris Lynn walked down the crease. The misery kept on piling for them as Max fell cheaply for 2. Tom Cooper (8) was the next to get dismissed leaving his side in shambles.
Lynn however launched a fightback with his spirited 57 off 34 but that also didn’t last long as Qais dislodged him. Ben Duckett tried to save Brisbane from blushes with his 54-run knock but he was later removed by Coulter-Nile.
Brody Couch (3/34) and Qais (3/26) together sent six of the Brisbane batters to pavilion and folded Brisbane to 187 in order to clinch the issue by 20 runs.
