CANBERRA: Melbourne Stars' winless start to the ongoing 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) season continues.
A powerful 39-ball 72 from Sam Billings propelled Sydney Thunder to a dominant total of 182 runs, condemning the Stars to their fifth straight loss in the tournament.
Chasing their first win of the campaign, the Stars won the toss and opted to bowl first, but the decision backfired immediately.
Opening batters David Warner and Cameron Bancroft set a fast pace, with Warner even unleashing a reverse sweep in one of the early overs.
Thunder raced to 30 in just the first three overs, looking on course for a massive total.
However, the momentum shifted when Beau Webster struck, cleaning up Warner to give the Stars their first breakthrough.
Usama Mir quickly followed with two wickets in consecutive deliveries, dismissing Bancroft and Oliver Davies to leave Thunder at 45/3, having lost three wickets for just four runs.
Jason Sangha and Billings steadied the ship, with Sangha finding his groove early.
Their half-century partnership put Thunder back on track for a big finish, but veteran Peter Siddle broke the stand by removing Sangha.
Billings, however, took charge from there, hammering Mir for three consecutive boundaries before bringing up his fifty.
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Billings' aggressive hitting kept Thunder on course, with the right-hander clearing the ropes over midwicket before Siddle halted the carnage.
With 182 to defend, Thunder made an ideal start as Lockie Ferguson struck early, removing a key batter in the first over.
Ben Duckett, after a slow start, found his rhythm, taking on Daniel Sams and accumulating runs quickly.
Having already scored a half-century in the previous game, Duckett looked in fine form once again, sharing a 50-run stand with Marcus Stoinis.
However, the dismissal of Stoinis was a significant blow for the Stars, and it wasn’t long before Glenn Maxwell followed him back to the pavilion.
Despite Duckett surpassing fifty and keeping the chase alive, Thunder’s dominance was evident in the latter stages of the innings.
Duckett's departure, with nearly five overs remaining, left the Stars with little hope.
Wes Agar then dealt a decisive blow with a three-wicket over, further derailing the Stars' chase and securing Thunder's comfortable victory.