Unbeaten competition leaders the Melbourne Stars overcame an early collapse to post a total of 8-141 in Tuesday’s BBL knockout semi-final against the Hobart Hurricanes.
Legspinner Cameron Boyce exploited the slow-paced nature of the MCG pitch to claim a career-best haul of 3-11 off three overs.
No.5 batsman Brad Hodge, the 39-year-old who was recalled to the national T20 side last week, top-scored for the Stars with 51 off 35 balls.
The Hurricanes claimed the early wickets of Cameron White (six) and Matthew Wade (eight).
Glenn Maxwell came to the crease in the sixth over at 2-25 and hit an audacious six across the line from his first delivery.
English import Luke Wright was trapped lbw by Boyce in the seventh over.
Boyce also outsmarted Maxwell (12) who holed out to long off at 4-45 as the Hurricanes ramped up the pressure on the Stars’ middle order.
Hodge was able to steady the home side’s innings with a 62-run partnership for the fifth wicket with fellow veteran David Hussey (24).
Hussey was Boyce’s third victim, caught at long on.
Hodge reached his half-century off 34 deliveries with a six over long on but departed next ball, bowled by Doug Bollinger.
Apart from Boyce, offspinner Shoaib Malik (1-5 off two overs) also proved a handful for the Stars’ batsmen on a dry pitch.
Ben Laughlin (2-34) dismissed John Hastings and James Muirhead in the final over.
The build-up to the match has featured plenty of heat between the two sides.
Hurricanes’ wicketkeeper Tim Paine made a full apology on Monday after suggesting in a radio interview the Stars operated under a different salary cap than other teams.
Paine had also said Hobart would be doing every other team a favour if they beat the unpopular Stars.
The Stars are under enormous pressure to at least reach the BBL final and thus qualify for the lucrative Champions League after crashing out at the semi-final stage in the past years.