Harper’s Blistering 110* Powers Melbourne Stars to Commanding Win Over Sydney Sixers

Melbourne Stars defeated Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in the Boxing Day BBL clash. The standout performer of the match was Sam Harper, who smashed a superb century off just 60 balls in the second innings. His knock helped the Melbourne Stars chase the target of 145 runs within just 17.3 overs. It was a commanding performance from the Stars, who are now sitting at the top of the points table with three wins from three matches.

Batting first, Sydney Sixers had a horrible start as they lost the Pakistan superstar Babar Azam in the second over. It was a big blow for the Sixers because they were relying on Babar to play a big knock, just like he performed in the last match.

The in-form Josh Philippe, who came in at number 3, couldn’t perform well either. He tried to build a partnership with Daniel Hughes, but unfortunately lost his wicket just after the Powerplay. His dismissal brought some pressure on Hughes; however, he kept striking the ball sweetly to rotate the scoreboard for Sydney Sixers.

The opener played a strong knock against Melbourne Stars, as his knock of 60 runs gave Sixers a decent total on the board. Besides him, no other batter made a notable contribution, as Melbourne Stars kept picking up wickets at regular intervals.

The captain of Sixers, Moises Henriques, also endured a disappointing outing in the match against Melbourne Stars. Considering his position in the middle order, Sixers needed him to stay at the crease till the end, but he also got out cheaply.

As a result, Sydney Sixers managed to post just 144 runs in the first innings, with all their key players returning to the pavilion without making a meaningful contribution.

Tom Curran was the top performer for the Melbourne Stars, as he picked up three wickets in his four overs while conceding just 26 runs.

When Stars came out to chase the target, they also endured a poor start. The English opener, Joe Clarke, was dismissed for a duck, as Sean Abbott castled him with an absolute ripper in the first over. His early dismissal put some pressure on the Stars’ dugout; however, Sam Harper responded with a breathtaking batting display.

He took on the bowling lineup of Sixers singlehandedly by smashing quick boundaries. Despite losing more wickets in the middle overs, Harper kept playing his shots to negate the pressure put on by Sydney Sixers. He scored a brilliant century in the end that allowed Melbourne Stars to chase the target in 17.3 overs. Harper remained unbeaten till the end of the match, showcasing his resilience in finishing the game confidently.