Cricket news: Calls for BBL rule change as Melbourne Stars defend controversial Glenn Maxwell move

Melbourne Stars coach Peter Moores has joined angry cricket fans in questioning why his team didn't get the chance to use their batting power surge in a last-over loss on Wednesday night that ended their BBL season. And Moores has also declared it was the right call to hold Glenn Maxwell back, despite the superstar only facing four balls.

The Stars suffered a heartbreaking three-run loss to the Hobart Hurricanes, which sent the Hurricanes into the grand final qualifier against the Sydney Sixers. The match was initially reduced to 10 overs per side due to wet weather in Hobart, and the Stars then had their innings reduced even further to seven overs.

The Melbourne side were given a target of 85 runs from seven overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, which calculates the runs required when overs are lost due to rain. And under BBL rules, the Stars weren't allowed to use their batting power surge.

The rules state that any time an innings is reduced to fewer than 10 overs, the batting power surge can't be used. It means the Stars weren't given an over in which the Hurricanes were only allowed two fielders outside the circle, even though the Hurricanes got their power surge when they batted.

The 85-run target took into account the lack of a power surge, but it's believed it only reduced the total by five runs. And you'd expect the Stars to score more than that in a surge.

"It makes a difference in a short game," Moores said, pointing out that power surges are still used in rain-shortened games in England. "It seems to make sense. It's quite simple to do. We've done that over in England for a bit. Maybe it's something but we play to the rules of each competition and we've got no complaints about it."

Should the Melbourne Stars have used Glenn Maxwell earlier?

On social media, fans were absolutely fuming the Stars were denied the ability to use the surge. And fans and commentators were also gobsmacked that Maxwell wasn't sent to the crease earlier.

Despite only having seven overs, the Stars kept Maxwell at No.5 and he only ended up facing four balls (for nine runs). He was stuck at the non-striker's end at the death as Tom Rogers, Sam Harper, Joe Clarke, and Marcus Stoinis were all sent out before him.

Many thought Maxwell and Stoinis should have been sent out to open. But Moores said: "We sent out two lads who have played really well … to send them out for the two overs of powerplay made complete sense.

"Joe Clarke is an opener as well. We lost an early one in Tommy and (sent out) Joe and then obviously the rain came. Marcus (Stoinis) was next and Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) after that. You're making decisions as the game evolves. I think we made the right calls."

The Hurricanes will face the Sixers at the SCG on Friday night, with the winner advancing to play the Perth Scorchers in Sunday night's final.

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