Marcus Stoinis has clobbered 97 from 55 balls to lead the Melbourne Stars to a tense 10-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena.
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Stoinis, who's had a mixed start to the Big Bash League this summer, hit seven sixes in the unbeaten knock as the Stars snapped a three-game losing run.
Melbourne posted 6-183 after being sent in on Monday afternoon, with the Hurricanes chase falling just short despite Ben McDermott's equally brilliant 91 from 58.
The Stars' West Indies import Andre Fletcher pulled off two stunning outfield catches at the death, one of them to remove McDermott in the penultimate over.
Hobart needed 21 off the last six balls and looked a chance when Peter Handscomb dispatched Billy Stanlake over the rope.
But he was run-out two balls later as Hobart finished at 6-173.
The Stars also picked up the bonus point to breathe some much-needed life into their campaign.
"We needed it (the win)," Stoinis said.
"It was not quite panic stations but wins at this stage of the tournament are really important to take the pressure off."
Stoinis could have brought up a century with a maximum off the final ball of the innings but managed just two.
He played the leading hand after Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for his lowest score of the tournament.
Coming off a stunning 70, Maxwell was out for six trying to reverse sweep Sandeep Lamichhane in the eighth over, leaving his side 3-49.
Stoinis took a liking to anything short from Hobart's spinners, launching several sixes onto the hill.
Hilton Cartwright chipped in with 36 from 24 balls as the Stars launched a late onslaught after being 3-63 at the halfway mark.
The Hurricanes chase was sluggish early, with D'Arcy Short's unusual lean trot continuing.
He was out for eight, caught in the deep of Sam Rainbird and is averaging just 15 this tournament.
"He's normally pretty quiet, naturally, but I think he's going OK," McDermott said of Short.
"He's a world-class player, so he's going to bounce back. Everyone goes through these patches, we're backing him in."
Hobart speedster Riley Meredith was the pick of their bowlers (2-25) and now has 12 scalps in BBL10.
Australian Associated Press
