Final thoughts
So, a disastrous result for the Hurricanes, who had the chance to lock in a top four spot. A three-wicket defeat means they must now rely on the result of Brisbane Heat-Melbourne Renegades game at the Gabba this evening. Kevin Pietersen’s 46 was thrilling, and a fitting way for him to bid farewell to the Stars – perhaps a reminder of better times, after a season from hell for his side. Thanks for joining me today, until next time.
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Melbourne Stars win by three wickets!
20th over: Melbourne Stars 7-186 (Gulbis 19, Worrall 9) Four off six balls is the equation before the final gets under way, to be bowled by Christian. Worrall cuts.... for four! And that’s that, settled on the first ball!
19th over: Melbourne Stars 7-182 (Gulbis 19, Worrall 9) Mills, amazingly, is given the ball. Just singles off the first couple of balls and then a rare dot ball! Excellent now from Mills but then Gulbis sends him back over his head for six! And with just four needed now, that could be that. Mills finishes with figures of 2-56 and we’re heading into the final over.
18th over: Melbourne Stars 7-174 (Gulbis 12, Worrall 8) Archer’s given the ball and initially it’s a good decision – just three singles off the first three balls – but then he beams Worrall, who deflects the ball down to the third man boundary for four! Five in total, and an extra ball to bowl! At least the free hit is well bowled and no run is taken. But then Gulbis smashes a six back over his head! And it’s a no ball! That could well be the turning point of this match. Gulbis is caught out, but he’ll survive because of the free hit and he has the strike! Twelve to win off 12 balls now. Disastrous for the Hurricanes!
17th over: Melbourne Stars 7-157 (Gulbis 3, Worrall 2) Worrall’s up and running early on, and a few more are added. It’s in the balance now – 29 off 18 is doable, but with three wickets left?
WICKET! Gotch lbw Rose 16
17th over: Melbourne Stars 7-153 (Gulbis 1, Gotch 16) Gotch attempts a huge slog sweep but he’s trapped lbw by Rose! Plum, no questions asked. Not looking so rosy for the Stars now, that’s a big wicket.
16th over: Melbourne Stars 6-152 (Gulbis 1, Gotch 16) Gulbis gets off the mark immediately and the Stars need 34 off four overs.
WICKET! Pietersen caught and bowled Mills 46
16th over: Melbourne Stars 6-151 (Pietersen 46, Gotch 16) Oh dear, it’s Mills back into the Hurricanes’ attack. And KP is excited at that prospect. Back-to-back boundaries off the first two balls before he adds a third on the next! A six to follow? Yeah, go on then, why not? KP’s going out with a bang! And then he really does go! A brilliant catch from Mills sends KP back to the sheds and out of BBL cricket!
15th over: Melbourne Stars 5-133 (Pietersen 28, Gotch 16) Gotch now takes Boyce to task before KP attempts a reverse sweep on the final ball – it’s not his finest effort though, but he still picks up a single. The Stars need 53 off 30 balls now.
14th over: Melbourne Stars 5-124 (Pietersen 25, Gotch 10) Archer tries to change deliveries up this over but it doesn’t pay off. Gotch is fortunate on the final ball of the over as KP live commentates while running through for two. Seriously.
13th over: Melbourne Stars 5-115 (Pietersen 24, Gotch 3) Christian bowling, KP motoring along nicely.
12th over: Melbourne Stars 5-107 (Pietersen 17, Gotch 1) Boyce nearly has his head taken off as KP smashes the spinner’s first delivery back past him. It’s a single only. A couple of dot balls follow before Gotch gets off the mark.
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WICKET! Hastings caught Wade bowled Mills 20
11th over: Melbourne Stars 5-104 (Pietersen 16, Hastings 20) Mills dollies his first ball down the leg side – that’s a wide – and then KP launches him over mid-off for a six! Not great from the Englishman (Mills, not KP) and a full toss later, which KP smacks away to the boundary, plus another wide and another single to Pietersen, the Stars reach 100. It doesn’t get any better either, with another full toss dispatched to the boundary by Hastings. But finally, on the final ball of an expensive over – he goes for 17 – he picks up the wicket of Hastings, who edges behind!
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10th over: Melbourne Stars 4-87 (Pietersen 5, Hastings 16) Hastings runs around Boyce’s next ball, makes plenty of room and it’s four! He backs that up with a six, smacked hard, and low. And then another! This time he gets plenty of air on it, back over Boyce’s head and that’s turned into a decent over for the Stars!
WICKET! Quiney run out 11
10th over: Melbourne Stars 4-71 (Pietersen 5, Quiney 11) Confusion reigns for a while as we wait for a decision on a run out. Wade doesn’t know if he had the ball in his gloves when the bails came off, or wether it was his gloves that knocked them off. The decision goes his way though, and Quiney is on his way!
Ninth over: Melbourne Stars 3-70 (Pietersen 5, Quiney 10) Here we go, Quiney takes Short to task with a low-trajectory six, back over the bowler’s head first up this over. Pietersen survives a big lbw shout a few balls later... it’s a close one, but no reaction from the umpire. He then thick edges and the ball races away to the boundary and an umanned third man.
Eighth over: Melbourne Stars 3-59 (Pietersen 1, Quiney 3) Quiney knocks a single and KP will get his first look at Boyce. He nudges through on the on side and he’s up and running in his final Stars game!
WICKET! Faulkner caught Malenko bowled Boyce 16
Eighth over: Melbourne Stars 3-56 (Faulkner 16, Quiney 1) Boyce now tasked with making inroads into the Stars batting lineup and he does so after just two balls as he tempts Faulkner into going for the boundary. Easy take for Malenko in the end. And here comes KP.
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Seventh over: Melbourne Stars 2-56 (Faulkner 16, Quiney 1) Faulkner booms a six as Short is brought back down to earth on the final ball off the over. Quiney off the mark too. 130 off 78 balls needed now.
WICKET! Dunk caught Rose bowled Short 30
Seventh over: Melbourne Stars 2-46 (Faulkner 7, Dunk 30) D’Arcy Short is brought into the attack and he makes an immediate impact, as Dunk pops one up for an easy catch taken by Rose!
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Sixth over: Melbourne Stars 1-46 (Faulkner 7, Dunk 30) Archer again, and he’s frustrated as Dunk pushes one to mid-off but it drops inches short of the fieldsman! Just four off the over and that’s the end of the power play with the Stars on 1-46.
Fifth over: Melbourne Stars 1-42 (Faulkner 6, Dunk 28) Mills is brought into the action and before too long Dunk hoiks him over mid-wicket for a huge six. He then attempts a slower ball, but Dunk sees it early and tickles off his pads for four. The Stars are going well and now need 148 off 90 to win.
Fourth over: Melbourne Stars 1-30 (Faulkner 5, Dunk 17) Christian lopes in again, and the new batsman Faulkner, bumped up the order a bit today, finds the fielder at mid-off. Faulkner’s off the mark the next ball as a punch through the off side trickles to the boundary. And he picks up another single on the last ball of the over to keep the strike.
WICKET! Handscomb caught Malenko bowled Christian 7
Fourth over: Melbourne Stars 1-25 (Handscomb 7, Dunk 17) Handscomb tries to go big on Christian’s first ball, but his timing’s not really been there today, and it’s easily claimed by Malenko.
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Third over: Melbourne Stars 0-25 (Handscomb 7, Dunk 17) Handscomb attempts a slog sweep but he misses it, as does Wade behind the stumps, and that’ll be one run. On the next ball, Dunk hits a maximum, measured at 89m (metres, not miles), the first of this innings. He goes again for the same shot a few balls later, but this time the connection isn’t quite as sweet and he has to settle for a boundary. A very solid start.
Second over: Melbourne Stars 0-12 (Handscomb 6, Dunk 6) Archer into the attack but Dunk and Handscomb continue amassing singles before Dunk opens up a bit on the fourth ball, and picks up another two. By the end of the second over, there’s a nice symmetry to the scorebook, if you’re into that kind of thing.
First over: Melbourne Stars 0-6 (Handscomb 3, Dunk 3) The shadows are lengthening across the MCG turf as Dunk, opening the batting as well as the Stars bowling, and Handscomb walk out to the middle. Clive Rose first up for the Hurricanes, and Handscomb gives himself some room on the off side on the opening delivery to get things up and running. A succession of singles follow and that’s a decent start for the Stars.
Hobart Hurricanes: 7-185 from 20 overs
20th over: Hobart Hurricanes 7-185 (Archer 7, Boyce 0) And there it is! They run a bye on the final ball of the over, and Melbourne Stars will have to make 186 to win this one. Back in a tick for the Stars’ innings, don’t go anywhere.
WICKET! Reardon run out 32
20th over: Hobart Hurricanes 7-184 (Archer 7, Reardon 32) Archer digs out his first ball, and picks up two before Handscomb spills the throw back to the stumps and there’ll be four overthrows! Six on his first ball! Reardon is then easily run out as Hastings scoops the ball up cleanly off his own bowling before scampering back to the stumps and taking the bails off with Reardon not even close to getting there.
WICKET! Christian caught Handscomb bowled Hastings 56
20th over: Hobart Hurricanes 6-177 (Christian 56, Reardon 32) Hastings will bowl the last over, and he’s immediately cracked to the boundary over mid-off by Christian. And it’s called a no-ball, to make matters worse. Christian picks up a further two off the free hit before Hastings is called for a wide. He recovers on the next ball though, as Christian gets a thick edge and is caught behind!
19th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-169 (Christian 50, Reardon 32) Here’s Gulbis, tasked with limiting the Hurricanes’ total with just two overs left. The bowler tries to bounce Christian but he’s equal to it and hooks for six before he cracks a four past mid-off on the next ball! He reaches his 50, his first this season, and that’s that this over. One over left.
18th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-155 (Christian 37, Reardon 31) Reardon goes again, and that’s another big six, back over the head of bowler Hastings! Reardon then puts Hastings’ very life under threat as he hammers the ball back towards him, narrowly missing the bowler’s head! It’s a four and they go on to put 15 runs on the board this over.
17th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-140 (Christian 37, Reardon 16) A ninth wide, this time from Worrall, and here’s KP again. “Story of the season,” he says, of all these first ball errors from his team-mates. Reardon then ups the ante a bit, crashing a boundary before plundering a huge six!
“We’ve nothing to lose,” continues KP. “so we’ll just go out there and have a donk.” Which reminds me of this ridiculousness.
16th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-127 (Christian 36, Reardon 5) Christian has looked good for his total so far. He picks up another two with a middled drive to the off side, which is brilliantly collected by Gotch. But that’s not a bad over from Faulkner.
15th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-122 (Christian 32, Reardon 4) “Catch it” cry the Stars, but there’s no chance of that as the ball lands nowhere near a fielder in green. Likewise the next ball, but for different reasons, as Christian lofts Bowe for a magnificent six! Just over 19,000 inside the MCG today.
14th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-112 (Christian 24, Reardon 3) Reardon gets up and running on his second ball before he adds a third run to his tally with a turn off his hips down to fine leg.
WICKET! Milenko caught Hastings bowled Faulkner 4
14th over: Hobart Hurricanes 5-107 (Christian 23, Milenko 4) Milenko absolutely smites Faulkner on the first ball of the over, ever so slightly in the air, and it’s brilliantly caught low down by Hastings! A world away from the missed chance last over!
13th over: Hobart Hurricanes 4-107 (Christian 23, Milenko 4) Oh my goodness me! Milenko misjudges a shot, the ball rockets straight up into the sky, the bowler Gulbis is under it.... but on its return to earth, he completely misses it! As it, he doesn’t even get a hand on it. That’s hilarious. And he affords himself a wry smile. Five singles from the over.
Tim again. “KP seems to be permanently auditioning for something,” he writes in. “He’s a cricketing Yosser Hughes. He’s certainly a character on C9, clearly missing the memo not to talk about the BBL.”
12th over: Hobart Hurricanes 4-102 (Christian 21, Milenko 1) Good flight from Bowe on his first ball to Milenko, who fends it off well before he gets on the mark on the next ball. And that’s over.
WICKET! McDermott lbw Bowe 21
12th over: Hobart Hurricanes 4-101 (Christian 21, McDermott 21) More spin from Bowe but Christian doesn’t stand on ceremony, getting to the ball before it pitches and smacking it for four to bring up the 100. A single follows before Bowe traps McDermott lbw! There’s a huge shout, the umpire considers it for an age, and then finally gives it!
11th over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-96 (Christian 16, McDermott 21) McDermott, with a beautifully controlled shot, hits Faulkner for four on the new bowler’s first delivery and a couple of balls later he finds the opposite boundary. This pair end up putting on another 12 this over, and they’re beginning to open up a bit now. The current run rate is 8.68
10th over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-84 (Christian 15, McDermott 10) Great fielding on the boundary to deny McDermott four runs. Still, he runs three before a wide is called on a Gulbis bouncer. A few other singles this over take Hobart to 84 halfway through their innings.
Ninth over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-76 (Christian 13, McDermott 5) McDermott catches a top edge on a sweep shot off the bowling of Bowe, but it lands safe. And KP is still talking, now about his relationship with some of the Stars’ younger players – he makes Gotch get his drinks on nights out is the big take home.
Eighth over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-70 (Christian 9, McDermott 3) Hastings flings down a bouncer and it’s called a wide. KP on the mike: “It’s been a mixed bag. A mixed bag of a season. The head space and confidence is not where it should be.” And then he has a big chat with the commentators about the IPL auction. Is he concentrating on the game or what? Meanwhile, the runs tick over for the Hurricanes.
Seventh over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-63 (Christian 5, McDermott 1) Here goes Liam Bowe and, stone the crows, his first ball isn’t a bad one! A couple of singles before Bowe has Christian in some of trouble with one that turns but on the next ball it’s the batsman’s turn to gain the upper hand, cracking a four through the covers.
Sixth over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-57 (Christian 0, McDermott 0) Hastings completes his first over, and a decent one it was too.
“Hello Mike,” writes in Tim. “Welcome to the BBL party! I’ll be at the Perth Stadium on Thursday and can’t wait to follow your ball by ball from the stands. All the best for today, and Thursday. Don’t you forget now.” So, you’re saying we should OBO the semis, Tim?
WICKET! Wade caught Gotch bowled Hasting 17
Sixth over: Hobart Hurricanes 3-57 (Wade 17, McDermott 0) Hastings into the attack, and his first one is, of course, not great. But then on his second he claimed the scalp of Wade, who is caught in the deep by Gotch! Dan Christian strides to the crease.
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WICKET! Bailey caught Worral bowled Gulbis 32
Fifth over: Hobart Hurricanes 2-53 (Wade 13, Bailey 32) Gulbis now into the attack, what can he do with his first ball? He’s down the leg side and it’s flicked away for four by Wade, so not really much better than his team-mates to be honest! Bailey then has to be quick getting back for two, but such is the size of the MCG field, he has the time to make it. But he slashes on the off side soon after and he’s caught by Worral, who does well to hang on! McDermot
Fourth over: Hobart Hurricanes 1-44 (Wade 8, Bailey 28) Dear me, this is an awful start from Jackson Coleman, who, like Dunk and Worrall, delivers a stinking first ball. But he goes one, and then two better, by bowling two more on his next two deliveries, down the leg side. Three wides in total. Then an error by Worrall on the boundary sees the ball hit squeeze past him and to the ropes for four leg byes. Bailey smashes Coleman through point for four before he chalks up another boundary, this time thanks to a pull shot, and that’s a pretty good over for the Hurricanes.
Third over: Hobart Hurricanes 1-28 (Wade 8, Bailey 20) Bailey takes the game by the scuff of its neck now. He attacks Dunk on the first ball, lifting him over the covers to pick up three before he dances down the track to smack the ball straight back past Dunk for a boundary a few balls later. And then a six, an 86m one, to round off an expensive over for Dunk, who goes for 16.
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Second over: Hobart Hurricanes 1-12 (Wade 5, Bailey 2) Worrall starts at the other end and Bailey adds another single to the tally before Wade does likewise. Bailey finds the middle of the bat on the next ball but his cover drive is straight to a man in green. He then pulls and they run two. Bailey pulls again next ball but it’s just one this time.
WICKET! Short lbw Dunk 0 (Hobart 1-2)
Short goes for a golden duck! The ball raps his back pad on its way through and he’s given out! Bailey’s the new man in.
First over: Hobart Hurricanes 1-3 (Wade 1, Bailey 0)
Off we go!
First over: Hobart Hurricanes 0-0 (Wade 0, Short 0) Ben Dunk opens the bowling for the Stars and his first effort is awful. A wide is called and the Hurricanes are up and running. A nurdled single through the off side follows before Darcy Short takes guard for the first time...
OK, a couple of minutes until we begin. Here’s KP, who’s miked up as the Stars take to the field, to bowl first.
The women’s match at the MCG has just finished up, and we have this, courtesy of AAP:
The resurgent Melbourne Stars cruised to an eight-wicket win over the Hobart Hurricanes in their WBBL clash at the MCG. Chasing a modest 108 for victory off their 20 overs and with both sides playing solely for pride with finals out of the equation, the Stars sailed home with ease, achieving victory with 12 balls remaining.
Opener Katie Mack (42) was adjudged player of the match after leading the Stars’ steady chase and was well supported by England international Georgia Elwiss (28). Nicola Hancock (2-18) produced her best WBBL spell with the ball but the Hurricanes were caught short with the bat due to a combination of haphazard running between wickets, sharp Stars fielding and tight bowling from the home team.
Hobart started well enough with West Indian Hayley Matthews (34) and wicketkeeper Georgia Redmayne (20) laying a solid foundation. A 5-12 collapse which included two run outs and two nifty stumpings from the fast hands of Stars keeper Nicole Faltum caused the Hurricanes’ innings to grind to a crawl. Alana King (2-23) and captain Kristen Beams (1-11) were the pick of the bowlers, helping the seventh-placed Stars to their third win from their past four starts.
Hello and welcome! It’s a big day of Big Bash cricket today, the final day of the home-and-away season in the men’s competition. The Hurricanes head into this fixture at ‘G knowing victory will secure a finals berth, but lose and door opens for Brisbane Heat, who would still have a chance to sneak into the top four when they play the Melbourne Renegades later in the day.
Today also marks the end of Stars star Kevin Pietersen’s personal big bash in Australia. He departs on what is being termed Rhino Day, as the England batsman moves into the next stage of his life, in conservation. Good on him, sure he’ll get a decent send-off from the Melbourne crowd.
Anyway, we’ll be under way soon enough. Stick with us. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with an email for tweet on the details above.
