Melbourne Stars surged to the summit of the Big Bash League (BBL) with a ruthless nine-wicket demolition of Sydney Thunder in Canberra, showcasing the perfect blend of pace aggression and batting flair. Chasing 129, the Stars cruised home with 36 balls to spare, driven by a sparkling 60 off 37 from Joe Clarke and a typically explosive 39* off 20 from Glenn Maxwell, as the Thunder wilted under scoreboard pressure.
Earlier, Haris Rauf set the tone with a blistering 3 for 29, ripping through the Thunder middle order and ensuring they never broke free. Despite a bright start from Matthew Gilkes (24 off 13) and a towering roof-hit six from David Warner, the innings stalled badly. Warner departed the very next ball, and from 64 for 4 after 10 overs, the Thunder never recovered. Pakistan star Shadab Khan top-scored with 25, while Mitchell Swepson impressed on Stars debut with 2 for 18, including a wicket with his very first delivery.
In reply, the Stars batting looked on a different level. Clarke’s clean striking pierced the gaps and cleared the rope with ease, while Sam Harper’s calm 29* off 27 anchored the chase. Once Maxwell arrived, the result was inevitable. Mixing reverse sweeps, conventional power, and icy composure, the Stars captain finished the job in style and stamped his side’s authority on the competition.
For Sydney Thunder, it was another night of frustration. One win from four matches leaves them searching for consistency with the bat and answers with the ball. For the Stars, however, momentum is real, and confidence is soaring, an ominous sign for the rest of the league.
