Maddo shines bright as stars come out

It's not often a rapid fire 84 from the mercurial Glenn Maxwell gets overshadowed, but Sydney Sixers opener Nic Maddinson’s whirlwind 61 stole the show in Sydney on Tuesday night.

At one point during his 36 minutes of complete carnage, Maddinson hit Melbourne Stars allrounder James Faulkner for six consecutive fours and he also sent Daniel Worrall into the top tier of the Victor Trumper Stand to get the Sixers off a flying start in pursuit of 190, a total the hosts tracked down with 15 balls to spare.

It was the very best of Maddinson, who smashed the Stars for 62 in Melbourne a week ago and finished the season as the Sixers' leading run-scorer with 291 at a strike rate of 145.5.

"I think I've just been playing with no fear," Maddinson said after play.

"Early on in the tournament the scoreboard dictated the way I had to play a bit and I had to be a bit more conservative.

"The last couple of games I've just tried to play without any fear of getting out, just look at the scoreboard and what I need to do in that situation and look to take the game on rather than conserve.

"Sometimes when you come off you have nights like tonight and last week."

Maddinson’s sextet of boundaries were part of eight consecutive fours from the Sixers, with English recruit Joe Denly hitting the other two from the final two balls of the previous over bowled by Worrall.

But Maddinson said he wasn’t thinking specifically about hitting six balls in the same over to the boundary, even though he tries to hit every delivery he faces in the first six overs to or over the rope.

"I was just trying to hit the ball to where there were no fielders, regardless of if I’d hit one or two (boundaries) that over,” the left-hander said.

"I was just thinking to prepare for what he was going to bowl next with the field and just looking to hit the ball into a gap.

"My whole plan in every Power Play I play in is to hit a boundary every ball. That’s the approach and it came off."

While Maddinson wasn't named in Australia’s squad for the Gillette T20 international tri-series against New Zealand and England, Maxwell was and he and enters the tournament in sparkling form.

His innings included seven fours and four sixes, a knock that was even more impressive considering he was battling conjunctivitis, a sore neck and a side issue he sustained while batting.

"At times I had to pull away, having to refocus after blinking is difficult," Maxwell said.

"I hurt my neck yesterday at training, and I hurt the other side when I went to do the switch-hit."

The Stars have one more match this summer, against the Hobart Hurricanes at the MCG on Saturday, which will be Kevin Pietersen’s last match for the marquee club after he announced this summer would be his last in the competition.

Maxwell praised Pietersen’s work with the Stars’ youngsters and for being a shoulder to lean on when times were tough.

"(Pietersen) was a big part when I was going through a tough time, he was a big guy who really supported me through that," Maxwell said.

"That on- and off-field support that he gave me I’ll never forget and his aura around the group has been outstanding.

"The way he’s been helping the younger guys, the way he’s latched on to a few of the younger guys and been able to bring them through has been a credit to him.

"A guy like Seb Gotch, getting his opportunity, he’s been a big influence on him.

"He’s been a great guy around our group and thank him for his service. He’s been outstanding for us."