High-profile import Andre Russell struggled with the ball in an unusual BBL return but it ended in success as the Melbourne Stars registered a four-run win over his former club Sydney Thunder.
After completing 72 hours of quarantine, West Indies superstar Russell arrived in Melbourne just hours before Friday night's fixture at the MCG.
He and fellow import Qais Ahmad were both forced to operate under strict COVID-19 protocols as part of their BBL integration period, instructed to keep at least two metres away from other players where possible throughout the match.
Russell scored an unbeaten 17 off nine in a brief batting cameo - helping lift the Stars to 4-165 after they were sent into bat - but was wayward with the ball.
He coughed up two wides and a six to Matt Gilkes (56 off 49) in his first over and finished with figures of 0-40 from four as the Stars' most expensive bowler.
The tally included 12 runs in the 19th over, the second of the Thunder's power surge, which left the visitors requiring 11 to win off the last six balls.
Alex Ross and Ben Cutting could only manage six off experienced legspinner Adam Zampa's final over.
There was drama when Stars captain Glenn Maxwell dropped Ross off the second last ball, leaving Cutting requiring four to tie the match - or six to win it.
But the Thunder's No.7 batter didn't make any connection, leaving his side short at 5-161.
Zampa (1-31) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-27) were both important contributors for the Stars, completing four overs each, while Ahmad took 1-23 from three.
Thunder batsmen Gilkes and Sam Billings (43 off 31) threatened to take the match away from the home side, who were handed a record-breaking thrashing by the Sydney Sixers in their season opener last week.
The Stars were boosted by the inclusion of experienced quartet Russell, Ahmad, Coulter-Nile and Marcus Stoinis.
The latter managed just 13 from as many balls at the top of the order before he was run out in a horror mix-up with Maxwell (16).
Nick Larkin cracked an unbeaten 52 off 43 balls to play a lead role for the Stars and Hilton Cartwright posted 42 off 30, including the only two sixes of their innings.
Legspinner Tanveer Sangha (2-29) was the pick of the Thunder bowlers and Nathan McAndrew (1-27) was the most economical of those who completed four overs.
Thunder opener Alex Hales overtook fellow Englishman Luke Wright as the highest run-scorer of any import in BBL history.
But he made just 10 off 10 balls - taking his all-time BBL tally to 1484 runs - and was trapped lbw by Zampa.
