Melbourne Stars all-rounder James Faulkner has survived an appeal for handling the ball to steer his side to a tight Big Bash League win over the Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG.
Chasing just 135 to win, the Stars made tough work of their chase before getting home with five balls and four wickets in hand on Saturday night.
Faulkner was given not out off a handling-the-ball appeal in the penultimate over, bowled by medium-pacer Ben Laughlin (3 for 14), who almost proved a match-winner.
But with just five needed off Evan Gulbis' final over, Faulkner top-edged the first ball for four, before a no-ball finished the game.
The Stars had struggled early in their chase in the face of a fiery opening spell from left-arm quick Doug Bollinger, whose first two overs were just the third and fourth maidens of the BBL season.
But after reaching just 1 for 38 from their first eight overs, the introduction of New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris for the ninth proved disastrous for Hobart, yielding 21 runs including three sixes.
Despite losing three wickets in the next five overs, including two in a quality spell from Laughlin, the Stars were always likely winners from that point.
Laughlin bowled a tight 19th over, which included the appeal against Faulkner when the ball brushed his hand after he fended a delivery off his body.
Earlier, the Hurricanes struggled to 8 for 134, with Stars quicks Clint McKay (3 for 25), Faulkner (2 for 23) and in-form Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga (2 for 19) dominating with 7 for 67 between them.
Tim Paine (46 from 46 balls) was Hobart's top-scorer, while Styris (24 off 17) provided some inventive shot-making late, but Ricky Ponting (8) failed in possibly his last MCG innings.
The Stars have now won two of three games and the Hurricanes one of two.
Man of the match McKay said the Stars were building momentum but had clear areas to work on.
"We're always looking to improve and play the perfect game that coach Greg Shipperd talks about and get a bit more clinical with the batting," he said.
"But at the end of the day we got over the line and got the points and that's what we came here tonight to do and it sets us up beautifully."
Faulkner said fellow Tasmanian Laughlin was "clutching at straws" with his vehement appeal for handling the ball.
"He's like that all the time, he carries on like a two-bob watch, what you see is what you get," Faulkner said.
"Having said that, he was one of the first to come up and shake hands."
Hurricanes skipper George Bailey agreed there was nothing in it.
"Benny Laughlin gets pretty excited, I think Jimmy Faulkner gets pretty excited. They're both pretty competitive," Bailey said.
"I think even Benny when he saw the replay realised there wasn't much in it."
AAP
Tags: sport, cricket, twenty20, melbourne-3000, hobart-7000 First posted December 15, 2012 22:40:36
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