SS vs MS

That is all from the action here at the SCG but don't forget we have a double-header tonight with Perth Scorchers taking on the defending champs Hobart Hurricanes in the West at the Optus Stadium. This has finished just in time as the second match of the day is about to kick off, jump windows and catch all the live action here. From here, this is Sourabh Agrawal signing off on behalf of Datrim Ray and Sooryanarayanan Sesha. Cheers!

Boris: "Have to take off the hat to Harper for sure... respect:)!"
Boris, you have been closely following this game. And yes, that was a heck of a knock from Harper! The Sixers were completely taken off guard! :D

Sam Harper is the Player of The Match for his 110* off 60 balls, no prizes for guessing there! Here are his words: "Wasn't an easy pitch as we saw through our bowling innings. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy time, I just tried to play some good shots and it was one of the nights where it came off. My wife and I have been working on my hair, my brother has been cutting it and we have been having some fun (laughs). Don't know if it looks great, definitely feeling warm. Nice to be three and nil after being 0-5 last year, we will have a long bus ride tomorrow and then get back together again. Playing in Canberra on Sunday night will be exciting, it is a wicket I really enjoy, specially coming up against Thunder. The coachig staff has been great, the personnel has been pretty much the same. Grat support tonight, most of them were in magenta and it was great to put on a show."

[LOCAL TIME 9:07 PM, IST 3:37 PM]: Melbourne Stars won by 7 wickets.

Sam Harper - 110 (60) | Peter Siddle - 3/23
Daniel Hughes - 60 (42) | Joel Davies - 2/16

The Melbourne Stars are through! THREE WINS IN A ROW FOR THEM! They have wrapped up the run chase inside the 18th over with 7 wickets to spare. Contrary to the end result, Sean Abbott hit the ground running for the Sixers with an absolute jaffa early on! Joe Clarke departed cheaply without troubling the scorers. The new ball zipped around in the air and off the deck, which kept the Sixers seamers very much in the game. But their joy was destined to end prematurely once Kellaway and Sam Harper got into their work.

The duo took their chances in a bid to catch up with the asking rate. They batted aggressively and notched a blistering 54-run stand, which virtually knocked the Sixers out of the game, even before the halfway stage. Joel Davies provided the Sixers with some temporary respite by removing Kellaway. But runs kept flowing at a steady rate for the Stars. Harper hung around and did the bulk of the heavy lifting, eventually reaching his fifty in 28 balls (his fastest-ever BBL fifty).

Kane Richardson had a night to forget. His miseries piled up big time as he went for a whopping 41 in only 2 overs. Harper’s destructive form with the bat got the better of him as he went around the park for plenty. As soon as the Power Surge was taken, all hell broke loose on the Sixers. Harmer unleashed his fury and raced his way to an electrifying century (110 off 60) to power his side over the finishing line. 

Well, that sums up what turned out to be a thrilling BBL encounter on the eve of Boxing Day. Stick around further to receive the post-match presentation updates. 

17.3 Sean Abbott to Sam Harper, MELBOUNE STARS WIN! Take a bow, Sam Harper, 110 out of the team's 145 runs for him. Melbourne Starts make it a hat-trick of wins to start the comp and they down the Sixers with a comprehensive performance. Full and slow at the stumps, drags it uppishly wide of mid-on and that will seal it. Handshakes all around, Harper is beaming and why should not he. He has done it single-handely here at the SCG!

17.1 Sean Abbott to Sam Harper, slow and full outside, Harper comes forward and drives it towards cover where Henriques makes a good diving stop. Still 1 away!

17.1 Sean Abbott to Sam Harper, SCORES LEVEL! Slower delivery on a length from Abbott, slips down the leg side and Harper misses the clip. WIDE!

Abbott [3-0-28-1] comes on to bowl his final over. (Could well be the final over of the match)

16.4 Joel Davies to Tom Curran, OHH, where did that come from? Davies slows it up outside off on a length, Curran looks to cut but it turns big to beat hi

Joel Davies emerges as the only silver lining for the Sixers tonight. He ends his spell with exemplary figures of 2-16, going at just 4 RPO. TAKE A BOW!!

16.1 Joel Davies to Jonathan Merlo, CAUGHT, too little to late for Sixers. Shortish at the stumps, Merlo backs away and looks to hack it away over mid-on. Does not get enough elevation and Abbott at mid-on jumps up and takes it with both his hands.

15.6 Ben Dwarshuis to Sam Harper, FOUR, Harper ends the Power Surge with a boundary. Moves away to the leg side this time knowing Dwarshuis was angling it in, was the slower one, he goes over the off side and does it well. Carved over point

15.5 Ben Dwarshuis to Jonathan Merlo, another back of a length delivery angling in, Merlo goes for the big swing andunderedges it to short fine for one