Hurricane Sammy blows Stars away

Darren Sammy marked his KFC T20 Big Bash League debut with a batting onslaught for the Hobart Hurricanes and heaped more pain on the Melbourne Stars.

Sammy also took a crucial catch as the Hurricanes easily beat the Stars by 52 runs on Saturday night at the MCG.

The former West Indian captain smashed 38no from just 12 balls, including three sixes and four fours, as the Hurricanes rallied from 3-31 to reach 5-190 from 20 overs.

The Stars could only manage 9-138 from their 20 overs in reply.

Stars captain Cameron White top scored with 62 before he lofted Xavier Doherty to long on, where Sammy took a well-judged running catch over his shoulder.

The Stars have made the semi-finals in all three BBLs, but have opened this edition with two losses.

Sammy is only playing half this BBL before he joins the West Indian team, with England's Tim Bresnan then replacing him.

The big West Indian's cameo is already proving great value for money.

A 90-run stand for the fifth wicket between opener Ben Dunk (43) and Jon Wells, who top-scored with 68, had steadied the Hurricanes' innings.

But Sammy's smash-and-grab effectively took the game away from the Stars.

Hobart belted 108 from their last eight overs.

Stars opening bowler Daniel Worrall bled 29 in the second-last over as Sammy hit three sixes and two fours.

Worrall's four overs cost 60.

By contrast, Melbourne's star import Kevin Pietersen only managed one after scoring 66 in their opening loss to Adelaide two days ago.

Ben Hilfenhaus impressed for Hobart with 4-27 from his four overs and Joe Mennie took 3-20, with the Stars struggling after a brisk start.

Sammy bowled two steady overs and returned 0-18.

Sammy was named man of the match and said he wanted to make an impression in the BBL as quickly as possible.

"It's a great bunch of lads, you can see we enjoy our cricket and that's what I was doing out there," he said.

"It was very good to have an impact so early in the tournament."

The affable Sammy said his goal in the BBL was to smile more than his always-happy captain George Bailey.

"It's all about enjoying it," he said.

"It's not the Big Bash - it's the BBLB.

"You should ask me what the 'B' stands for - it means Big Bash League, Baby."

But there were no smiles among the Stars, who were left mulling over a bad game that had started so well.

"We knew he (Sammy) was very capable of that," said Melbourne captain Cameron White.

"In saying that, our execution wasn't great either."