Twitter Reactions: Clinical Melbourne Stars take down the table toppers Hurricanes to book a place in the final

Melbourne Stars had momentum coming into the semi-final against the Hobart Hurricanes and they continued in the same vein at the Bellerive Oval. The table-toppers played like the Champions during the whole league stage and couldn’t put their best foot forward when it mattered the most. Daniel Worrall pulled off a sensational spell for the Stars which eventually turned out to be match-winning in the context.

After being put in to bat first, the Hurricanes lost the man in form and their skipper Matthew Wade in the second over itself. He was snaffled by Worrall on the very first ball of his spell and then he went on to send back Caleb Jewell to put the Hurricanes in early trouble. D’Arcy Short played an entertaining knock of 35 but was undone by a variation by Adam Zampa.

At 42/3 in the sixth over, the hosts were in deep trouble but the veteran George Bailey and Ben McDermott played sensibly to stitch a 75-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, both of them fell at the wrong time and the Hurricanes couldn’t get a finishing kick. They ended up at 153 runs for the loss of seven wickets after 20 overs. Worrall returned with the best figures of 4/23 in his four overs.

Maxwell leads the chase

Ben Dunk and Marcus Stoinis opened the innings for the Stars. But the former was sent back by Jofra Archer to give the Hurricanes an early hope. Stoinis and Peter Handscomb then played carefully to take the team past the 50-run mark. However, the introduction of the Afghan leggie Qais Ahmad turned the tables dramatically. He picked the key wickets of Stoinis, Handscomb and Nic Maddinson in his first three overs.

But then Glenn Maxwell and Seb Gotch got together at a very crucial stage and won the game sensibly for their team. They didn’t panic at all and calculated the chase beautifully. Their unbeaten stand of 72 runs for the fifth wicket took the Stars into the final as Maxwell remained unbeaten on 43 while Gotch scored 33.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Glenn Maxwell #captainsknock #BBL08

— Andrew Wu (@wutube) February 14, 2019

Glenn Maxwell being made the captain has made him mature a lot as a cricketer and batsmen, so composed now #bbl08

— Tim Cahill FC (@RohanCT) February 14, 2019

Glenn Maxwell will determine the winner of this years 6 month long BBL tour de farce. Hes in some form… Have to say that's some very average bowling by the Hurricanes when it was needed. Dan Worrall won that semi early.#bigbash #maxi #frankie. Stars faves now.

— Dan Smith (@West1987) February 14, 2019

The Glenn Maxwell-Stephen Fleming partnership a big winner. It’s a happy “Stars family” and players are crystal clear on their roles. Maxi has taken a wooden-spoon team to a Grand Final and Fleming now has two Grand Finals from four seasons. 🏏 🧠 #BBL08

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) February 14, 2019

pick glenn maxwell in all 3 forms#BBL08

— Ambrose (@Ambrose1879) February 14, 2019

🏏 Big Bash.
🏟 Big occasion.
💪 Big Show!

Glenn Maxwell, take a bow.

The skipper leads the Stars into the Big Bash final. #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/boeWQ7IaoU

— bet365_aus (@bet365_aus) February 14, 2019

Glenn Maxwell. Most destructive batsmen of any form in Australia. An absolute genius #bbl08

— Tim Cahill FC (@RohanCT) February 14, 2019

Hurricanes can’t bowl Clive Rose to Glenn Maxwell. Stars captain knows him inside-out, all the way back from junior days. Maxi would pump him into the stands. #BBL08

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) February 14, 2019

If Stars win the tournament, what chance Maxwell gets Player of the Tournament? Him or Stoinis, you'd think.

— Andy Ward (@GetItQuietly) February 14, 2019

For the sixth time in the last seven seasons, the team that finishes first loses the semi final 👀 #BBL08 pic.twitter.com/53mLKnrhVD

— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 14, 2019

Maxwell is a jet. Absolute grubbery that he’s not sporting the gold and green more often. Screaming out for blokes who deliver when it matters

— Judd Lanyon (@Jtlan91) February 14, 2019

I hope glen maxwell plays in the World Cup. How could you not have him in there with his current form. Laters hurricanes 👋 #BBLFinals

— Lachlan Williams (@lockiewillo) February 14, 2019

Glenn Maxwell being made the captain has made him mature a lot as a cricketer and batsmen, so composed now #bbl08

— Tim Cahill FC (@RohanCT) February 14, 2019

Pretty sure I backed the @StarsBBL to Win the Big Bash !!! #Justsaying …….. also @Gmaxi_32 is a serious player that Australia need to get playing in all formats & higher up the order in the ODI … #BigBash

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 14, 2019

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