Chris Harper etched his name in Big Bash League history with an unbeaten 84 off 39 balls, featuring a staggering 12 sixes – the most in a single BBL innings. This explosive effort led Melbourne Stars to an emphatic 8-wicket win over rivals Renegades at the MCG.
Opting to field, Stars struck early. Renegades crawled to 145/7, hampered by tight lines from their bowlers. Coulter-Nile’s fiery spell (3/28) dismantled the top order, with Zampa and Maxwell adding wickets. Finch (32) and Maddinson (25) fought briefly, but momentum evaded them.
In reply, Stars wobbled at 24/2, but Harper steadied the ship spectacularly. Dropped on 10, he made the fielders pay, launching Will Sutherland and Tom Rogers into orbit. Sixes flowed – over long-on, cow corner, even reverse sweeps for maximums. His half-century came off 24 balls, partnership with Cartwright worth 70 runs.
The chase concluded in style, Stars reaching 149/2 with 15 balls unused. Harper’s strike rate of 215.38 left spectators awestruck. Maxwell called it ‘the best T20 knock I’ve seen live.’ This derby win revives Stars’ season, contrasting Renegades’ slump.
Harper’s rise from domestic circuits to BBL headlines is inspiring. As playoffs loom, Stars fans dream big. Renegades must regroup fast. Harper’s fireworks signal a new era of aggressive batting in Australian T20 cricket.