Haris Rauf, Glenn Maxwell propel Melbourne Stars to victory over Sydney Thunders

Melbourne [Australia], Jan 8 (ANI): Haris Rauf and Glenn Maxwell powered Melbourne Stars to a six-wicket victory over Sydney Thunders in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here on Wednesday.
Chasing 146 runs, Stars did not start well and lost opener Nic Maddinson (13) in the fourth over.
Nathan Coulter-Nile joined Marcus Stoinis at the crease. Coulter-Nile (11) had a brief stay at the crease while Stoinis kept playing shorts so that Stars stay ahead in the run-chase.
After the fall of Nick Larkin, Stars were reduced to 60-3 in eight overs. However, Glenn Maxwell and Stonis keeping the scoring rate high and took the scoreboard past 100 runs.
Stonis got out in the 14th over after playing a knock of 50 runs. Maxwell played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 59 runs in just 37 balls to Propel Stars to a six-wicket victory.
Earlier after being asked to bat first, openers Usman Khawaja and Alex Hales gave a steady start to Sydney Thunders. The duo put on a 56 run stand in the first eight overs.
However, Coulter-Nile provided the first blow to Thunders as he dismissed Khawaja (33) in the ninth over. Five runs later, Adam removed Hales (26) in the tenth over, reducing Thunder to 63-2.
Callum Ferguson and Matthew Gilkes smashed bowlers out the park and took Thunder's innings past 140 runs in 19 overs.
Both batsmen stitched a partnership of 83 runs between themselves. The dangerous-looking stand was broken by Haris Rauf after he removed Gikes (41) in 20th over.
Rauf took a hat-trick in the last over of the match. His dismissal includes Ferguson (35), Daniel Sams (0) and Gikes. Thunder's ended their innings at 145/5 in their full quota of 20 overs.
Haris Rauf picked up a hat-trick and conceded just 23 runs, was adjudged as the player of the match (ANI)