Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Hodge hammered 64 runs off 36 deliveries
Veteran batsman Brad Hodge silenced the Sydney Thunder as his magnificent unbeaten half-century helped the Melbourne Stars ease to a seven-wicket win.
Hodge was well supported by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who smashed 44, and pace bowler John Hastings, who took three wickets.
Thunder captain Michael Hussey won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, his decision to do so backfired almost immediately as opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan was caught behind off the bowling of John Hastings for a duck.
Daniel Hughes managed to make 16 runs before he was caught by Cameron White to become Hastings’ second victim of the match.
Hussey and Eoin Morgan stabilised the innings with a 57-run partnership before Morgan was caught by Glenn Maxwell at midwicket off the bowling of Jackson Bird for 31.
Kurtis Patterson made a quickfire 18 before being caught by Maxwell at midwicket off the bowling of Hastings.
Hussey ended up reaching his half-century and was looking threatening before he was run out for 66 off 48 deliveries, which included six boundaries and a six.
Jason Floros smashed 18 runs off 14 balls, which included two boundaries and a six, as the Thunder finished on 155/6 off their 20 overs.
Hastings was the pick of the bowlers for the Stars as he snapped up three wickets, while Bird and Clint McKay chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 156 to win, the Stars got off to a poor start as opening batsman Luke Wright was brilliantly caught by Morgan off the bowling of Dirk Nannes for nine runs.
White managed to score 21 runs before being caught by Patterson off the bowling of Luke Feldman.
With the Stars looking to be in a spot of bother, Wade stepped up and hammered 44 off 40 balls, which included four boundaries and a six, before he was caught by Morgan in the covers off the bowling of Gurinder Sandhu.
From that point on it was all Melbourne as Hodge and David Hussey amassed an unbeaten 67-run partnership, during which Hodge brought up his half-century, to lead the Stars to victory.
Hodge finished on 64 off 36 deliveries, which included four boundaries and five sixes, while Hussey remained undefeated on 16 off 13 balls, which included one boundary.
Sandhu, Feldman and Nannes all picked up one wicket apiece.