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Dropped catches hurt, some devastate

Glenn Maxwell knocks it out of the park. (AAP Image/Rob Blakers)
Expert
2nd January, 2018
35

It was the third ball of the BBL innings at the MCG last night with the Brisbane Heat bash twins Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn chasing the Melbourne Stars’ 142 for victory.

And there were 35,000 in stands gobsmacked at what was to follow.

Lynn clubbed James Faulkner straight to Stars skipper John Hastings at mid-off – a regulation out and a great start in the first over for the Stars.

But Hastings made a meal of it, and despite five futile attempts to complete the catch, it was on the deck.

The score was 0-0 at the time, but it took 101 runs with 11 fours and five maximums before the Stars claimed their first wicket – McCullum out for 61 off just 30 with seven fours, and three sixes.

That was the only wicket to fall as Lynn and Joe Burns passed the Stars 7-141 with 32 deliveries up their sleeve. Total carnage. Lynn finished with an unbeaten 63 of 46 to match McCullum with seven fours and three sixes, while Burns finished with 18 off 12 with three fours.

There’s no greater sight than McCullum and Lynn in full flight and no worse sight for the Stars when they should have been parted with zero on the board. Hastings would have swallowed that 99 times out of 100 it was so straightforward.

(AAP Image/Dan Peled)

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The loss was the Stars’ third from three, which is impossible to understand with their line-up of such talent as Luke Wright, Ben Dunk, Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Rob Quiney, James Faulkner, John Hastings, Adam Zampa, Liam Bowe and Michael Beer.

Their highlight was Maxwell cracking 50 with only two trick shots that produced nothing, concentrating on playing every other ball on its merit. He was caught at long on trying for a second maximum to go with his five fours.

But he was more responsible, even though the majority of his shot-making wasn’t right out of the sweet spot. He did enough to make sure he’s selected in the Australian squad for the five ODIs.

But the honours went to Heat leggies Mitchell Swepson and Yasir Shah. Despite the defendable 141 the Stars set with the bat, Swepson bowled his four overs to claim 3/14 and the man of the match award with his nagging accuracy, superbly supported by Yasir’s 1-16 off his four.

And even though the Heat won by the length of the straight, Stars leggie Zampa went for 28 runs off his four, and 20-year-old left-arm chinaman Liam Bowe, who has yet to play first-class cricket of any description, went for 14 off his two.

The rest of the Stars attack went for double figures an over, so the two slowies can take a big bow.

Not often does one delivery change the course of a game, but there’s no doubt the catch John Hastings dropped off the third ball of the innings did just that.

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