Faulkner was named Man of the Match for smashing two vital sixes in the Super Over
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Melbourne Stars all-rounder James Faulkner smashed two sixes in the Super Over to lead his side to victory over the Sydney Sixers in a thrilling match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Stars captain Cameron White would have been pleased with his decision to bowl first after Sixers opener Nic Maddinson was caught and bowled by Jackson Bird for five runs.
Riki Wessels only made six runs before he was caught by Glenn Maxwell at slip off the bowling of John Hastings.
Sixers skipper Moises Henriques fared no better as he was caught behind off the bowling of Scott Boland for seven runs.
Michael Lumb and Jordan Silk stemmed the bleeding with a 69-run partnership, during which Lumb brought up his half-century, before he was caught by White at mid-off off the bowling of Boland.
Lumb’s excellent knock of 80 came off 61 balls and included six boundaries and three sixes.
Lumb’s valiant knock of 80 went in vain
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Ryan Carters mustered seven runs before he was clean bowled by Faulkner.
Sean Abbott scored three runs before he was caught by Maxwell at deep midwicket off the bowling of Hastings.
Thanks to Silk’s unbeaten knock of 37, the Sixers finished on 150/6 off their 20 overs.
Hastings and Boland picked up two wickets apiece, while Bird and Faulkner chipped in with one wicket each.
Chasing 151 to win, it only took Brett Lee three balls to dismiss Stars opener Luke Wright for a golden duck.
White and Kevin Pietersen made up for the early loss of Wright with a 70-run partnership before White was cleaned bowled by Ben Dwarshuis for 24.
Pietersen went on to score 54 off 43 balls, which included eight boundaries and a six, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Doug Bollinger.
Pietersen raises his bat after bringing up his half-century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Maxwell made a quickfire 23 before he was caught by Henriques off the bowling of Dwarshuis.
Faulkner and Tom Triffitt ensured that the Stars did not lose any more wickets as they set about their task of bringing their side closer and closer to victory.
Needing 16 runs to win off the final over, the Stars scored 13 runs off the first five balls.
With three runs separating them from securing two points, Triffitt only managed to score two runs off the last ball, which ended the match as a tie.
Since the scores were level, the Super Over came into effect.
The Stars batted first and, thanks to Faulkner, who hit two crucial sixes, they finished on 19/0.
Needing 20 to win off six balls, the Sixers started off poorly as Maddinson caught by White off the bowling of Hastings.
Hastings struck two balls later when Henriques was caught by Alex Keath at mid-off.
Despite conceding a boundary off the last delivery, the Sixers only made nine runs when their Super Over was completed, which meant that the Stars won the match.
Faulkner was named Man of the Match for his Super Over heroics.