Blistering unbeaten half-centuries to Glenn Maxwell and skipper Cameron White has guided the Melbourne Stars to a crushing nine-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades at Etihad Stadium.
Glenn Maxwell launches James Pattinson into the stands. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images
Aaron Finch hit James Faulkner for six with a spectacular shot that reached the roof of the Etihad Stadium.
NOT even laser lights shining in Cameron White's eyes can stop the ruthless Melbourne Stars.
The Melbourne skipper rode his luck, then crashed an imperious unbeaten 84 last night as the unbeaten green machine rolled to its fourth consecutive win to start the Big Bash season.
The Stars chased down the Renegades' 5-163 with scary ease, with Glenn Maxwell hitting the winning boundary with 22 balls to spare as he and his skipper put on an unbroken 98-run stand for the second wicket.
White had lives on 22 and 37 in the midst of six fours and four sixes in a 49-ball salvo that effectively sealed his team's finals berth halfway through the competition.
The only thing that appeared to upset him was a light being shone into his eyes, prompting a complaint to the central umpire midway through his innings.
It was a rude shock for the Renegades, who'd come off two wins and were desperate to avoid the season sweep against their cross-town rivals.
Cameron White hits a six off Aaron O'Brien at Etihad Stadium. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images
Their bowlers, so economical in the past fortnight, were savaged, particularly by Maxwell, whose unbeaten 58 came in just 28 balls, bringing his season strike rate to an even 200.
Even the normally frugal James Pattinson and Aaron O'Brien were mauled, going for a combined 75 in 6.2 overs.
But for all the power on display with the bat, the unsung hero was Jackson Bird, who came close to a hat-trick that really set back the Gades' innings.
In one of the more extraordinary overs ever seen in a Big Bash match, Bird turned the game on its ear early.
The Renegades, courtesy of a free-hit six by Aaron Finch off the last ball of the first over, had raced to 0-13.
When Bird was clobbered back over his head first ball of the second over by Michael Hill, a batting demolition looked on the cards.
Aaron Finch provided the fireworks for Melbourne Renegades. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Limited
But when Hill slashed and edged an ambitious drive and had Matt Wade taking a sharp high catch, the tide had begun to turn.
Jos Buttler, playing his last game for the Renegades before his English one-day international duties kick in, got one that nipped back in on Bird's 5th ball and was trapped in front.
Then Bird produced a special inswinger that froze Etihad specialist Ben Rohrer for a golden globe and gave the Tasmanian the spectacular figures of 3-4 after his first over.
The hat-trick ball to Aaron Finch to start the fourth over brought another huge appeal, but mostly born of the excitement Bird had generated as the ball was sliding narrowly down leg side.
But with the damage done, the Renegades set about a different type of innings with Tom Cooper joining Finch for a rare century partnership.
Cooper eventually fell for 60 off 44 balls before Finch gave the Gades hope with some mighty late hitting.
The skipper blasted six massive sixes -- including three off Clint McKay's in the 20th over - to finish on 84 not out.
Finch now has 262 runs to lead all scorers in this year's Big Bash by almost 100 runs, extending his lead as the competition's career leading run scorer.
But his inability to actually get more of the strike late in the innings proved costly with Finch only facing 55 balls for the night as his team's total proved no match for the marauding visitors.
Follow the action from tonight's match in our live blog below.
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