THE REMARKABLE turnaround of the Melbourne Stars has continued, knocking off the ladder-leading Sydney Sixers in Thursday night’s Big Bash League (BBL) action at the MCG.

The Stars leapt off the bottom of the ladder with a statement performance to keep their season alive, having started 2025 as one of the form teams of the BBL. After dropping its first five games, Melbourne has now won three on the trot, and remain a mathematical chance of making finals.

The game did have its fair share of controversy, with Glenn Maxwell‘s huge knock potentially coming to an end earlier than expected, but the Sixers were unable to review as the replay had been shown on the big screen before the 15-second timer had been reviewed.

The second divisive moment came in the second innings, when a brilliant caught and bowled from Usama Mir was ruled out after a lengthy review, with some pundits unconvinced by the third umpire’s ruling that the spinner got his fingers under the ball.

Regardless of the talking points, it was a brilliant display from the Stars, who were boosted by a vintage showing from Maxwell, on the same day his test career likely came to an end with a snub from the Aussie squad heading to Sri Lanka. The all-rounder was simply superb at the crease and finished with an unbeaten 58 off 32 balls.

Fresh off getting his baggy green cap at the SCG, Beau Webster also impressed with 48 off 41 as Melbourne took full advantage of the power surge to set the total at 5/156 from its 20 overs.

Although the Sixers looked a strong chance of chasing down the required score, it was the second power surge of the match that turned the tide in the home side’s favour. Captain Marcus Stoinis brought himself onto bowl and got the crucial wickets of James Vince (53 from 44) and Moises Henriques to put the Stars in the box seat, with Maxwell taking the catches for both.

Even 40-year-old Peter Siddle got involved in the fun, producing a vintage yorker to clean bowl Jordan Silk and defy his age to still bowl 140km/hr and surprise the opposition.

SCORECARD

RESULT: Stars won by 16 runs
POTM: Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars)
BAT FLIP: Sixers won and elected to bowl

Melbourne Stars
Glenn Maxwell 58 (32), Beau Webster 48 (41)
Sean Abbott 3/29 (4), Hayden Kerr 1/24 (4)

Sydney Sixers
James Vince 53 (44), Hayden Kerr 21 (15)
Mark Steketee 3/14 (3), Usama Mir 2/19 (4)

INNINGS BREAKDOWN:

Power Play (1-4):
Stars: 1/27
Sixers: 1/27

Halfway (10):
Stars: 3/64
Sixers: 2/71

Totals:
Stars: 5/156
Sixers: 9/140

SQUADS

Melbourne Stars: Ben Duckett, Sam Harper (wk), Beau Webster, Dan Lawrence, Marcus Stoinis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Usama Mir, Joel Paris, Mark Steketee, Peter Siddle

Sydney Sixers: Josh Philippe (wk), James Vince, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Jack Edwards, Hayden Kerr, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Akeal Hosein, Todd Murphy

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