Stars juggernaut ends after Heat pull off heist
The Melbourne Stars juggernaut at the 2025-26 Big Bash League came to a stunning halt as Brisbane Heat pulled off a heist at the Gabba following a terrific display of hitting at the death from Max Bryant and Xavier Bartlett. As a result, Stars were handed their first loss of the season, which looked unlikely when the opposition needed 76 from the final five overs at one stage.
Chasing 196, Jack Wildermuth's mini cameo was ended by veteran Peter Siddle but Nathan McSweeney came out all guns blazing and took on Haris Rauf to race to 15 off just 8. Heat appeared to be on track despite losing Colin Munro early as well alongside Wildermuth with McSweeney and Matt Renshaw steadying the ship. With the partnership blooming, the pressure slowly shifted back to the visitors before Siddle came back into the attack to bag the big wicket of McSweeney. If that wasn't enough, Mitchell Swepson inflicted more damage in the very next over by picking up two wickets including that of Renshaw.
Rauf and Siddle followed it up with a couple of quiet overs to mount the pressure on the hosts. At this point, they needed 76 from 30 and the win appeared unlikely. Bryant then revived their hopes with two sixes off Rauf and even though the Pakistan pacer got rid of Jimmy Peirson in the same over, Bartlett's entry brought more chaos than relief for the bowling side. While he chipped in with a four and a six, Bryant smashed Siddle in his final over and took full toll of a free hit as well by depositing it for a six to turn the game around. The game was pretty much settled in the penultimate over when Bryant took down Tom Curran before finishing off the stunning chase in the final over with another six and a boundary.
Earlier in the evening, the Stars had multiple contributors in their innings It all kickstarted with Sam Hamper going berserk in the powerplay against Wildermuth and Bartlett. Thomas Balkin and Renshaw then sent both the openers back to the pavilion in successive overs after which Marcus Stoinis and Campbell Kellaway steadied the ship. Kellaway then broke free at the halfway mark by taking down Wildermuth for four boundaries in an over before Balkin returned to get rid him in the following over.
Matthew Kuhnemann then dealt Stars a big blow when Glenn Maxwell's switch ploy was foiled with the veteran departing for just 1. With the well-set Stoinis also departing in the 16th over, Stars were desperately looking for a big push in the slog overs to finish with a powerful total. Blake Macdonald put his hand up and changed the complexion of the game again in the final two overs. He carved out 22 runs in the penultimate over with three fours and a six and followed it up with two more biggies in the final over. Hilton Cartwright, who was struggling, finished the innings with a six to give Stars all the momentum before they were handed a taste of their own medicine at the death with the ball.
Brief scores: Melbourne Stars 195/6 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 43, Blake Macdonald 37*; Thomas Balkin 2/35) lost to Brisbane Heat 199/6 in 19.4 overs (Max Bryant 48*, Nathan McSweeney 43; Mitchell Swepson 2/30) by 4 wickets
