AFTER four seasons without finals, the Melbourne Stars overcame a 0-5 start to storm home in the new year and claim fourth spot. Their postseason run was shortlived, but came on the back of cricket which had them competing with the tournament’s best sides. We recap the Stars’ BBL|14 campaign.

>> STATS RECAP: Scorchers pair complete golden season

BY THE NUMBERS

RECORD: 4th | 5 wins, 5 losses | 0.135 net run rate
ELIMINATED: The Knockout vs. Sydney Thunder
MOST RUNS: Glenn Maxwell | 325 @ 54.16 | 186.78 SR | 90 HS
MOST WICKETS: Mark Steketee | 15 @ 9.40 | 7.23 economy | 5-17 BB

RESULTS

Home-and-away:

LOSS @ Perth Scorchers by 6 wickets
LOSS vs. Brisbane Heat by 8 wickets
LOSS @ Adelaide Strikers by 15 runs
LOSS @ Sydney Sixers by 8 wickets
LOSS vs. Sydney Thunder by 18 runs
WIN @ Brisbane Heat by 5 wickets
WIN vs. Melbourne Renegades by 5 wickets
WIN vs. Sydney Sixers by 16 runs
WIN @ Melbourne Renegades by 42 runs
WIN vs. Hobart Hurricanes by 21 runs

Finals:

LOSS @ Sydney Thunder by 21 runs

THE STORY

It was quite literally a season of two halves for the Stars, who looked down and out at 0-5 heading into the new year. But once the calendar flipped over to 2025, fireworks went off in Melbourne as the men in green compiled five consecutive victories to earn the unlikeliest of finals berths. In the run home, they beat the Renegades twice, bested both the reigning and eventual champions, and toppled fellow top four side, Sydney Sixers. Ultimately, the Stars were eliminated by Sydney Thunder in the Knockout final.

THE HIGHLIGHT

While a pair of derby wins were sweet, arguably the Stars’ best moment in BBL|14 was the victory over eventual champions, Hobart Hurricanes. They had it all to play for heading into the final game of the home-and-away season, needing the full two points to reclaim fourth spot and end a five-year finals drought. The Stars stepped up to the occasion, posting 5-219 at the MCG before bowling the Hurricanes out for 179. Unsurprisingly, leading run scorer Glenn Maxwell (76* off 32) and top wicket taker Mark Steketee (4-24) played pivotal roles.

THE LOWLIGHT

Take any of the first five games, really. Among them were three defeats in excess of six wickets and a pair of unsuccessful chases to ultimately fall to a 0-5 record. The weight of scrutiny on Melbourne at the time was rightfully harsh, with a star-studded squad struggling to live up to its title as the glamour club of the competition. Another fifth straight finals miss was pending with two derbies and fixtures against a pair of BBL|13 finalists to come – not to mention a meeting with the ladder leaders. Grim, until it wasn’t.

THE STAR

He may have handed over the captaincy reigns to Marcus Stoinis, but Glenn Maxwell remains the Stars’ most valuable and influential player. He was arguably the catalyst for his side’s swing of fortunes, Showcasing his unmatched hitting ability with streaking knocks of 58*, 90, and 76* to close out the home-and-away season. He also top-scored with 28 in the Stars’ losing final. All up, Maxwell led his side’s run count with 325 in nine innings at an average of over 54, going at a strike rate of 186.78.

TOP KNOCK

Glenn Maxwell – 90 (52) vs. Melbourne Renegades @ Marvel Stadium

There’s hardly a better feeling than downing your closest rival, and the Stars did it twice in 2025. The second time around, at Marvel Stadium, Glenn Maxwell saved his side from a 6-63 sized hole with his blistering knock of 90 (52). His feats helped the Stars post 165 at the end of 20 overs, blasting a remarkable 10 sixes and four boundaries along the way. The Stars went on to defend their total, restricting the Renegades to 123 in a thumping victory.

BEST BOWLING

Mark Steketee – 5-17 (4) vs. Melbourne Renegades @ Marvel Stadium

If there’s one player who can lay claim to being equally as influential to the Stars’ turnaround as Glenn Maxwell, it’s Mark Steketee. The prolific strike bowler entered the fray in the new year and took 15 wickets, including the tournament’s only five-wicket haul in the home-and-away rounds. It came in the same match as Maxwell’s top knock of 90, sealing the Stars’ fourth consecutive victory. He dismissed the Renegades’ top three batters and helped clean up the tail in a terrific performance.

CONTRACT STATUS

SIGNED: Scott Boland, Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Liam Hatcher, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis

FREE AGENTS: Brody Couch, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Jon Merlo, Joel Paris, Mark Steketee, Doug Warren, Beau Webster

UNCONTRACTED: Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Adam Milne, Usama Mir, Austin Anlezark, Peter Handscomb, Blake Macdonald

>> Season recaps: Strikers | Heat | Renegades | Scorchers