Zampa's done it for Stars. Finally. Full ball tailing into him, he nudges it past square leg and they scamper the winning run comfortably.
Thunder vs Stars, 19th Match at Sydney, BBL, Jan 02 2020 - Match Result
Stars won by 3 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
Stoinis and Nick Larkin's 123-run partnership is MS's highest for the 2nd wicket in T20s, breaking the record of 120 between Brad Hodge and Cameron White
That's all we have for you from this game, but the BBL is stil going on, so hop on over to our Renegades v Sixers live coverage. Not just a double header today, but a Melbourne v Sydney double header.
7.09 pm: Nick Larkin has been named Man of the Match for his superb knock of 65 off 45. Ensured Stars didn't allow the required rate to balloon upwards while Stoinis was struggling to get a move on, and then brought them to the doorstep of victory. They stumbled through it, true, but it was a fine hand by Larkin.
7.02 pm: Close run thing in the end, but the Stars held their nerve, just about. They were 123 for 1 in 16.1 overs, strolling easily to the target with 20 needed off 23. They contrived to bring that to 1 needed off 3 while losing six wickets in three overs. But eventually, they had enough to get over the line. Fine innings by Larkin and a steady hand by Stoinis. Before that, Haris Rauf led the way with the ball, bowling with fire and accuracy, to keep Thunder down to what proved to be a gettable total - just. With that Stars also go to the top of the table.
1 needed off 3. Adam Zampa to face hat-trick ball. midwicket, square leg, straight mid-on, regular mid-on. Ring on the offside. Fine leg back
trapped him lbw Oh my word, this is a thriller like no other. Length ball, jagged in and hit him on the knee roll of the back leg. Terrible choice of shot, trying to swipe across the line. The umpire takes an age to raise his finger, but he does it eventually. Stars fleetingly would have thought they won it by running a leg-bye. Not quite yet.
Hinchliffe is the new batsman. Just one to win. But tension's rising.
caught at mid-on. Ho ho ho, this match is not over yet folks. Full and straight delivery, NCN, moved across and flicked it off his toes, timed it well actually. but there is a wide mid-on in place - in addition to the shorter, straighter mid-on, and he picks him out perfectly.
Scores tied.
yorker on the fifth stump, he shuffles across and taps it towards square leg. They sneak a quick single
We're down to the final over. McAndrew to bowl. Only two needed. But can Stars get those two runs without implosions? 8 fielders in the circle.
full ball tailing in, inside edges the flick onto pad. No run.
nails the yorker on middle stump, the batsman digs it back out to the bowler's right. A very straight and short mid-on fields
packed ring on the offside.
misses the yorker, ends up as a full toss outside off, flicked to deep square leg. Could have had a boundary, but a single will also do for Stars
yorker length outside off, driven off the front foot by opening the bat face, but can't beat cover
Madhu: "Cricinfo fantasy team prediction is perfect today. Stoinis captain and Morris vice captain. Good call"
well bowled, yorker on middle and off, but well negotiated, getting bat down in time and angling it to steer the ball towards point
run out chance missed - second one in two overs. Fuller on the stumps, just tapped it towards mid-on and ran. Bit of scrambled thinking there. Mid-on ran in and had a shy, but missed the stumps.
Just 5 needed to win now. 12 balls remaining. Even Stars can't lose from here, you'd think.
and Coulter-Nile has just anti-climaxed a thrilling finish. Full ball on the stumps, driven crisply down the ground, very straight, to find the boundary.
bouncer on leg stump, he ducks under it. and it's been given a wide. the bowler can't believe it.
full ball outside off, steered to backward point. No hat-trick, but it's a dot ball
Stars needed 20 from 23 and had 9 wickets in hand. They now need 10 from 14 and have 5 wickets in hand.
bowled him! What a ball, what a time to strike, and what a nail-biter this is turning into suddenly. Pitched on a length and jagged back into the left-hander sharply, past the bat and cannons into the stumps.
Some butterflies in tummies now, surely.
caught behind! What is happening to the Stars. Three wickets in the last nine balls when they were cruising. This was a full ball outside off, and Maxwell tried to steer it fine, but only snicked it through to the keeper.
run out chance missed at the non-striker's end. Pressure, pressure! There was no run there with the ball tapped down the wicket, but they went for the run anyway. Handscombe was miles out as Sams sprinted down the track, gathered the ball and had a shy, but missed the stumps.
whoa, what a shot! He was shaping to pull this, but changed his mind at the last moment because it was a slower bouncer. Ends up hanging his bat and it takes the outside edge to fly past the keeper
Two batsmen at the crease, none of whom have faced a ball yet. Sams has the ball, Maxwell on strike. 12 off 18 needed. Stars still favourites.
Stoinis has shovelled this down long-on's throat. I'ts more of a deep mid-on almost. Full ball on the stumps, he went deep and used his powerful wrists to hit it sweetly - but straight to the man. is there a twist in the tale?
short ball outside off, he fetches the pull from there and connects, but a dive to his right by mid-off ensures there's no boundary
fuller, and flicked to deep midwicket
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Sydney Showground Stadium | |
Toss | Sydney Thunder, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2019/20 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 2 January 2020 - daynight (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Melbourne Stars 2, Sydney Thunder 0 |
Over 20 • MS 143/7