The Melbourne Stars require 136 runs to keep their Big Bash League fairytale alive after the Sydney Thunder left themselves vulnerable with a modest total in the sides’ knockout final.
Winless after five games but undefeated since, the Stars will look to renowned players of spin Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb as they attempt to chase the Thunder’s 7-135 on a tricky ENGIE Stadium deck.
Wednesday night’s winner will book a date with the Sydney Sixers in Friday’s grand final qualifier at the SCG.
The Thunder struggled for a steady partnership from the moment talisman David Warner (0) was caught by ex-national teammate Marcus Stoinis at extra cover on the second legal delivery of the night.
Matthew Gilkes (28), Sam Billings (24) and Ollie Davies (36) all made starts in the middle order but could not truly prevent the Stars’ spinners from cashing in on the fiendish pitch.
Having been sent in, the Thunder were then left to rue losing 2-14 to pace in the power surge as the Stars ate into the bowlers.
After Tom Curran (2-26) consigned the Thunder to 1-1, Gilkes staged a fightback and was given a life when an umpire review deemed Curran brushed him on the ground attempting a catch at cover.
The Stars found results almost immediately when they injected spin, with Usama Mir (2-26) catching new opener Hugh Weibgen (11) from his own bowling on only the second delivery he sent down.
The wicket’s slow pace then proved Gilkes’s undoing as he holed out to a jubilant Glenn Maxwell from Usama’s bowling.
Billings showed off his sparking reverse sweep, notably smacking Usama past third man for consecutive fours, before Curran redeemed himself with a catch on the boundary from another spinner in Doug Warren (1-18).
Stars paceman Mark Steketee gave Ollie Davies a life on 26 runs when he failed to make up enough ground for a catch running in from mid on.
But Davies became Curran’s second victim picking out Handscomb on the boundary rope and the Thunder’s hopes of a late flurry took a significant hit.
The players went off at around 7.50pm to jeering from the Sydney crowd after thunderstorms were detected within 10km of the ground.
The game was condensed to 19 overs a side when they returned roughly 15 minutes later.
