Melbourne Stars pair Glenn Maxwell and Brad Hodge have put together an entertaining century stand to set the Sydney Sixers a tough chase in their Big Bash League match at the MCG.
After being sent in, the Stars posted 6-177 on Friday night.
Maxwell (82 off 50 balls) and Hodge (51 off 33) came together with their side struggling at 2-17 in the fourth over.
They blasted a 118-run stand in 11.3 overs to turn the game, both posting 31-ball half-centuries along the way.
“Glenn’s a bit of an excitement machine and I’ve got to try to keep up with him,” Hodge said.
“It was pretty good fun.”
Both Hodge and Maxwell were given lives, with the Sixers muffing run-out opportunities for each of them early in their innings.
Luke Feldman fumbled a chance to dismiss Maxwell while West Indies spinner Sunil Narine missed the stumps after receiving a throw when Hodge was out of his ground.
Narine bowled a no-ball later in the same over, the sixth of the innings, with Maxwell smashing the subsequent free hit for six to get the Stars’ run-rate rising.
A Jeevan Mendis over went for 17 soon after, including a towering Maxwell six over the sightscreen.
Moises Henriques’ first two overs yielded 30, including a brilliant Hodge cut over deep point’s head for six, as the Stars’ acceleration continued.
At one stage a 200-run total looked possible.
But the Stars’ momentum slowed once Hodge and Maxwell fell to medium-pacer Ian Moran (3-30) in the 15th and 17th overs respectively, with Brett Lee (2-25) giving up just two runs off the 18th over.