Joe Clarke century secures win for Melbourne Stars over Hobart Hurricanes

Clarke struck 101 not out off 66 balls as his side defeated Hobart Hurricanes by 38 runs in Melbourne

Melbourne: Melbourne Stars 183-5, Hobart Hurricanes 145-9 – Melbourne Stars won by 38 runs

Scorecard

Joe Clarke scored his maiden Big Bash century as Melbourne Stars secured a 38-run win over Hobart Hurricanes.

The opener became just the third English player, alongside Luke Wright (twice) and Nottinghamshire teammate Alex Hales, to reach three figures in Big Bash history, smashing 101 not out off 66 balls, including nine four and four sixes.

Beau Webster (24 off 22), Tom Rogers (20 off 13) and Hilton Cartwright (17 off 13) were the only other players to reach double figures as the Stars closed on 183 for 5. Riley Meredith collected 2 for 38 while Patrick Dooley (1 for 27) and Shadab Khan (1 for 29) were also among the wickets.

^{Luke Wood picked up three crucial wickets [Darrian Traynor/Getty Images]}

In reply, regular wickets prevented Hobart Hurricanes from mounting a significant chase, with a 28-run third-wicket stand between Shadab and Matthew Wade the most productive partnership. The Stars, by contrast, enjoyed three 50-plus stands.

Wade top-scored for his side, contributing a run-a-ball 35, while Tim David dispatched a brisk 24 (17) but with no one else passing 20 with the bat, a Hurricanes win was never on the cards.

Trent Boult had a rare off day with the ball, returning figures of 1 for 41, but Lancashire's Luke Wood recovered from an expensive debut against Sydney Thunder to finish with 3 for 25, removing Ben McDermott, David and Jimmy Neesham in the process.

Adam Zampa (3 for 27) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2 for 24) were the other wicket-takers for the Stars, who now have one win and one defeat from their opening two matches.