The highly anticipated Melbourne derby will be held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on January 4, 2025, it has been revealed. Melbourne Stars in the face of Melbourne Rebels In the 23rd match Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 season. The match was characterized by an exciting performance from Ben Duckettwhose explosive innings propelled the Stars to a five-wicket win, securing their second win of the season.
Melbourne Renegades struggles with willows
After winning the toss, the Melbourne Stars elected to bowl first, a decision that will be crucial as they aim to restrict their opponents. The MCG, known for its vibrant atmosphere and challenging field conditions, set the stage for an exciting encounter. The Rebels, who batted first, managed to post a total of 168 runs for 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, setting a target of 169 runs for the Stars.
The Rebels' innings got off to a shaky start. They lost their first wicket early when Josh Brown He was dismissed for just 6 runs. Jake Fraser McGurk and Tim Seifert She followed suit, leaving the team struggling at 53 for 3. However, Jacob Bethel and Jonathan Wells The roles were fixed with a partnership that brought some stability. Bethel scored a commendable 49 runs off 36 balls, while Wales contributed 45 runs off 31 balls.
Late mutation of Laurie Evanswho scored 24 runs off just 11 balls, helped the Renegades to a competitive total, but it was clear they left room for improvement. Joel Paris He was an outstanding bowler, taking 2 wickets for 23 runs, and showed a disciplined bowling performance that kept the Renegades in check throughout their innings.
also WATCH: Joel Paris's unclear attempt to sack Jacob Bethell in BBL 2024-25
Ben Duckett's dazzling display in the Melbourne Stars innings
After chasing 169 runs, the Stars faced early setbacks as well. They lost Thomas Rogers and Sam Harper Quickly, leaving them at a precarious 3 for 2. However, Duckett's arrival to the crease changed the momentum of the game. He played a blistering knock of 67 runs off 49 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. His ability to rotate the strike and find boundaries at crucial moments was instrumental in guiding his team to victory.
Duckett received valuable support from Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartwright. Stoinis scored 48 runs off 35 balls, while Cartwright remained unbeaten on 24 off just 12 balls, ensuring the Stars crossed the finish line with two balls to spare. The partnership between Duckett and Stoinis was particularly vital as they built a solid foundation after the early fall of wickets. Gurinder Sandhu He turned out to be the lone warrior, taking 3 wickets for 29 runs in his four overs against the Rebels who showed resilience.
The match ended in a five-wicket win for the Melbourne Stars, representing a huge win that could renew their season. Duckett's performance earned him the Man of the Match award, highlighting his pivotal role in this derby match.
Here's how Twitter reacted:
Third half-century for Ben Duckett in this BBL season. ๐#Avesha#Grande Fratello #staracademylife #LingOrm #DailyNews_Awards_2024 #Winter_before_winter #new #BamBam #Erin #AIart #DailynewsAwards2024xLMSY pic.twitter.com/tcukW8khwB
– Cricket lover ๐ฎ๐ณ๐งข (@I_am_Unkar007) January 4, 2025
Most fifties in BBL 2024-25
– Ben Duckett: 3 fifties
– Finn Allen: 2 fifties
– Cooper Connolly: 2 fifties
โ Dan Lawrence: 1 The fifties
– Sam Constas: 1 The 1950s pic.twitter.com/nJ0aTXIxGfโ Akshay Tadvi ๐ฎ๐ณ (@AkshayTadvi28) January 4, 2025
Great again from Ben Duckett ๐ pic.twitter.com/1wDD3X3hrM
– Melbourne Stars (@StarsBBL) January 4, 2025
Ben Duckett is a smart cricketer!#bubble14 #Zelena3E pic.twitter.com/qI5jAEIdTq
– Ritu Jaipur (@Ritukd31) January 4, 2025
Melbourne is ours, my love, above the stars ๐๐ #bbl14 https://t.co/MwuAZxuUnG
– Patrick Malone ๐ค๐ (@pattymalone2000) January 4, 2025
The second win this season for the Melbourne Stars ๐#cricket #BigBashLeague #Melbourne Stars #bubble14 pic.twitter.com/vyXYL6tQih
โ CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 4, 2025
This 121-metre monster hit by Cartwright sealed the star deal in the Melbourne Derby.#bubble14 #Melbourne derby #MSvsMR
– Priyank (@Priyank_Gaurav) January 4, 2025
Remember, it's not pronounced Ben Duckett, it's pronounced Douquet
##bubble14 pic.twitter.com/tirNO2RGhr
โ Jason Ford (@TheFordFactor) January 4, 2025
Disappointing result tonight #bubble14 #jetonred pic.twitter.com/mLugjx4bq3
– Melbourne Renegades (@RenegadesBBL) January 4, 2025
Melbourne Stars won by five wickets. Great spell Joel Paris 2/23. Excellent strike Ben Duckett 67 (49) (Player of the Match). Marcus Stoinis played well 48 (35).@StarsBBL #bubble14 #MSvMR @benducket1 @MStoinis
-Jaayshaan (Vaidhya Jaya Shankar) (@JaayShaan) January 4, 2025