Russell fireworks power Stars to handsome win
SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Andre Russell lit up the Australian Big Bash with an explosive cameo as Melbourne Stars won their second on the trot with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Sydney Thunder here yesterday.
Asked to chase 152 at Sydney Showground Stadium, Stars’ run chase was energised by Russell who blasted a Man-of-the-Match unbeaten 42 off 40 balls to take them over the line with 17 balls to spare.
Entering in the 12th over with his side tentatively placed on 83 for three and then watching as captain Glenn Maxwell fell to the very next delivery for 40, Russell took control of the innings with a spectacular display of power-hitting.
All told, he belted a four and five sixes, posting 72 in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership with Hilton Cartwright whose 13-ball 23 not out included a four and two sixes.
“The wicket wasn’t the best wicket to bat on, especially starting as a batter,” said the 33-year-old Russell, who opted out of West Indies’ current tour of Pakistan due to “personal reasons”.
“The thing is we bowled well and then the batters give us a good start and it’s good that I can capitalize on the back end.”
Earlier, 29-year-old right-hander Alex Ross top-scored with 77 off 49 deliveries as Thunder gathered 151 for five after being sent in.
He punched four fours and four sixes batting at number five, adding 84 for the fifth wicket with Daniel Sam who made 23 from 18 balls.
England’s Alex Hales hit 28 off 21 balls with four fours and a six at the top of the order but was part of a slide engineered by Afghan leg-spinner Qais Ahmad (2-17) as Thunder slumped to 65 for four in the 12th over.
Russell went wicket-less from four overs of medium pace which leaked 38 runs.
Stars then found themselves in early trouble at 24 for two in the fifth over before opener Marcus Stoinis lashed a measured 31 from 30 balls in a 59-run stand with Maxwell who chipped in with three fours and two sixes.
When Maxwell and Stoinis fell off successive deliveries to leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha (2-20), the momentum shifted in Thunder’s favour but Russell quickly changed the course of the game.
His first scoring shot was a massive six over long on in the 13th over off pacer Nathan McAndrew and he followed up by plundering 20 runs from the next over sent down by left-arm seamer Daniel Sams, as Stars quickly regained the advantage.