What a heart-pounding rollercoaster of a cricket match! Imagine the tension at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the Renegades clawed back from the brink to snatch victory against their fierce rivals, the Stars, in a derby that's all about bragging rights and that shiny new trophy. But here's where it gets controversial – was this win a stroke of genius or just dumb luck? Stick around to dive into the drama that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The Melbourne Renegades have punched their ticket to keep dreaming of BBL finals glory after a nail-biting four-wicket triumph over the Melbourne Stars on Sunday. It wasn't straightforward, though – they endured a massive comeback from the hosts, who roared back with 4 wickets for just 21 runs in a mere four overs, flipping the script right at the iconic MCG. For beginners new to cricket, that's like the Stars hitting a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in baseball – they turned a losing game into a potential win in no time.
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The Renegades seemed poised for success thanks to Josh Brown's explosive 84 runs from 48 balls, but when he was out in the 15th over, things heated up dramatically. With the new Melbourne Mace trophy at stake – a fun, local addition to the rivalry, like a city's own version of a championship belt – captain Will Sutherland took charge in the final over. They needed 13 runs off those last six balls, and he delivered, securing the win with one ball left. Talk about cutting it close!
And this is the part most people miss – the second-to-last over was pure chaos. Ollie Peake smashed a six over the boundary, then scrambled two runs on a mishit that was miraculously dropped by Tom Curran. Commentator Mike Hussey couldn't contain his shock: 'Has he just dropped the mace?!' But Peake's adventure ended soon after when he was run out attempting another risky run. Marcus Stoinis, the Stars' captain, decided to bowl the final over himself, only for Sutherland to launch a six right off the bat. A couple of singles followed, leaving just three runs needed from the last two deliveries. Sutherland sealed it with another massive six, avoiding any last-ball heartache.
Earlier in the game, the Stars rallied from a shaky start to post a respectable total of 173 for 9 wickets, thanks to a quick-fire 18-ball innings from English batsman Tom Curran. For those unfamiliar with cricket scoring, that's like hitting a half-century in rapid time – it sets up a target that's tough but not impossible to chase. The Stars were struggling at 5 for 80 in the 11th over of this Melbourne derby, but Curran (38) and Hilton Cartwright (28 from 19 balls) unleashed an attacking spree, adding 93 runs in the remaining balls. This gave their bowlers a solid score to defend on the massive MCG pitch.
However, the Renegades' bowlers struck early. Sam Harper, the BBL's top run-scorer, was dismissed first, followed quickly by Tom Harper (15 from 13 balls), thanks to a sharp catch by Jake Fraser-McGurk. The big moment came with the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell for just 1 run off 4 balls, swinging the momentum firmly toward the Renegades. Mike Hussey summed it up perfectly: 'He couldn't resist. A few dot balls and he thought, "I need to smash a six." But it didn't connect at all.'
The Stars slumped to 4 for 55 after Maxwell's exit, and it worsened when Marcus Stoinis (16 from 14 balls) followed. The skipper, who had been dismissed only once in the BBL before this, misjudged a ramp shot – an unorthodox cricket stroke where you try to scoop the ball over the wicketkeeper – and it edged straight to Josh Brown. Hussey added, 'He aimed to ramp it over the keeper's head, but it caught the inside edge. Brown was in disbelief. What a crucial wicket – two key players gone, and the Renegades were dominating.'
The late flurry from Cartwright and Curran pushed the Stars to 173 for 9, but it ultimately fell short. This four-wicket defeat marks their second in a row, despite a strong December run that had them atop the table. The Ashes Test 5, Day One highlights were still fresh in fans' minds, but this derby stole the spotlight.
Now, here's where it gets controversial – the Stars' batting lineup has been questioned. They've been cruising this season, losing only one game before this clash, but their tail-end batsmen haven't gotten much practice. When Maxwell and Stoinis faltered on Sunday, it exposed vulnerabilities. Former Aussie star Shane Watson, chatting with Anthony Hudson, suggested a shake-up, especially for captain Stoinis. 'He's batting at number 6,' Hudson noted. Watson replied, 'Especially under pressure. We all know his talent. Look at his innings: 62 off 31, 32 off 22, 43 off 35 against the Heat. Why not move him up to number three? He's in form, eager to lead, and making it complicated for no reason.' Stoinis had only one dismissal before this match – is it time for a bold change, or is the current setup working just fine? This could spark debate among cricket purists.
Adding to the buzz, the derby drew a massive crowd, rekindling the rivalry between Melbourne's Big Bash teams with the Melbourne Mace as the prize. Victorian fans, hungry for action after the brief Boxing Day Test, flooded the MCG. A staggering 68,124 spectators turned up – the third-largest Big Bash crowd ever, surpassing last year's 41,205 and the previous year's 40,636. It's just behind the epic Stars vs Renegades games of 2015/16 (80,883) and 2016/17 (71,162). Watson reflected, 'For families who planned their budget around the Test, they had extra cash to spare, and it's shown up here tonight.'
For live scores and stats, check out the Match Centre: Stars vs Renegades (https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/match-centre/BBL2025-260122).
Melbourne Stars’ squad: Hilton Cartwright, Tom Curran, Sam Hain, Sam Harper, Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Glenn Maxwell, Blake Macdonald, Hamish McKenzie, Haris Rauf, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis (c), Mitch Swepson.
Melbourne Renegades’ squad: Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Hassan Khan, Ollie Peake, Muhammad Rizwan, Gurinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert, Matthew Spoors, Callum Stow, Will Sutherland (c), Andrew Tye.
What do you think – should the Stars rearrange their batting order to let Stoinis shine earlier, or is their current strategy spot on? And was that dropped catch by Curran a game-changer or just one of those things? Share your hot takes in the comments below – let's debate!
