CANBERRA, Australia, CMC – Andre Fletcher failed but his Melbourne Stars successfully chased down Brisbane Heat’s meagre 125 to win the second match of the Australia Big Bash here Thursday.
The West Indies batsman made only 12 but captain Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright both struck 46 to put the Stars over the line with 17 balls to spare at Manuka Oval.
Sent in earlier, Heat were held to 125 all out with a ball left in the innings, with only Tom Cooper with 26 off 24 deliveries getting past 20.
Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile was the best bowler with four for 10 as Heat declined from 71 for three in the 12th over.
In reply, Stars lost Marcus Stoinis without scoring to the second ball of the innings to 21-year-old pacer Xavier Bartlett and Fletcher blasted a four and a six before following in the fourth over, skying a return catch to left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.
When the innings slumped to 34 for three in the seventh over, Stars’ run chase was becoming unstuck but Cartwright struck four fours and a six in a patient 42-ball knock while Maxwell countered with three fours and sixes off just 26 balls, to rescue their side.
