Pietersen and Stoinis shine in Stars derby win

The Stars beat their city rivals at the MCG last Saturday and secured an emphatic eight-wicket win with two overs to spare at the Etihad Stadium a week later to enhance their chances of securing a home semi-final.

Melbourne Stars duo KevinPietersen and Marcus Stoinis

Kevin Pietersen made an unbeaten half-century and Marcus Stoinis starred with the ball as the Melbourne Stars stretched their Big Bash League winning run to four matches with another derby win over the Melbourne Renegades. The Stars beat their city rivals at the MCG last Saturday and secured an emphatic eight-wicket win with two overs to spare at the Etihad Stadium a week later to enhance their chances of securing a home semi-final.

Dwayne Bravo top scored with 59 not out, but Stoinis took 3-11 to ensure the Renegades were restricted to 155-6 after being put in to bat in front of a crowd of 43,176. Pietersen then smashed 67 not out off only 43 balls to ensure the Stars claimed a sixth successive triumph over their neighbours - who have it all to do in order to reach the last four.

The Stars were without Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner and Scott Boland due to Australia commitments, but Ben Hilfenhaus got them off to a great start by dismissing Tom Cooper with his first ball. Chris Gayle (21) looked set to hit the headlines for the right reasons after being fined for inappropriate comments to reporter Mel McLaughlin as he launched two big sixes before being caught in the deep off the bowling of Stoinis.

All-rounder Stoinis had Cameron White caught behind for 29 from the next delivery and the Renegades were 77-4 when Peter Nevill was bizarrely run out after a Bravo drive hit his bat and struck bowler Adam Zampa on the nose before hitting the stumps. Bravo hit three sixes and a further four boundaries in an entertaining 37-ball knock, but once Luke Wright got the in-form Stars off to a flying start there was only ever going to be one outcome.

Wright (37 from 26) made a scintillating century when the two sides met last week and hit two boundaries off the first over from Xavier Doherty to set the tone after smoke from fireworks had delayed the Stars' reply. The impressive Wright hit seven boundaries before he fell in the eighth over, then Pietersen again proved he is still the man for the big stage by smashing three sixes in an unbroken 94-stand with Peter Handscomb (39no off 30) to get the Stars home at a canter.