Half centuries from Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb have guided the Melbourne Stars to a comfortable five-wicket win over the Sydney Sixers in tonight’s KFC BBL match at the SCG.
The Stars made light work of their target of 140, reaching the total with eight balls to spare to record their first win of the season in their third game.
Handscomb hit 52 off 40 balls before he was dismissed with just four runs required, while Maxwell struck 50 off 36 balls in a typically eye-catching innings before a crowd of 29,104.
Captain David Hussey contributed 24 off 15 to get the Stars home.
Tom Triffitt clubbed the winning boundary through mid-wicket off Doug Bollinger to move the home side to 5-143 and hand the Sixers their second loss of the season from four games.
Earlier, Moises Henriques (41 off 34 balls) and Nic Maddinson (25 from 21 balls) rescued the home side from a slow start after the Sixers were 2-18 in the fourth over with both openers Brad Haddin and Michael Lumb back in the pavilion.
The pair moved the scored to 78 with some lusty hitting before Maddinson was bowled by Adam Zampa in the 11th over.
Injury then struck Henriques in the 13th over as he attempted to take off for a single and his leg gave way. He made his way back into the crease but was forced to retire hurt and left the SCG in a medicab.
Some late hitting from Jordan Silk who struck 35 off 28 balls moved the Sixers to a competitive 6-139 off their allotted 20 overs.
Spin proved to be the key for the Stars with Michael Beer picking up 1-16 from four overs and Glenn Maxwell, eventual Man-of-the-Match contributing with 1-35.
Ben Hilfenhaus picked up two wickets while Zampa and Boland also claimed singles.
The Stars will next face the Melbourne Renegades in a double-header derby at the MCG on January 2.