Sam Harper has produced one of the most remarkable innings in Big Bash history, with his maiden century leading Melbourne Stars to a seven-wicket win over Sydney Sixers.
On a night when Peter Siddle narrowly missed out on his first BBL hat-trick at age 41, Harper completely dominated with the bat with a 50-ball century.
Chasing 145 for victory at the SCG on Friday, Harper hit an unbeaten 110 from 60 balls to cap what was easily the best game of his BBL career.
Harper accounted for more than 75 per cent of the Stars' runs, making for the largest proportion ever hit by a single batter in a BBL innings.
As if to illustrate how dominant Harper was, the Stars' next highest scorers were Campbell Kellaway and Jonathan Merlo, who both hit 14.
"Usually it's probably Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) or Stoin (Marcus Stoinis) that gets 75 per cent," Harper quipped.
"So it's nice to contribute.
"Anyone who has played cricket for any length of time knows it's the best resilience builder. You have nights like tonight and nights where you get a duck, so you've got to enjoy it when it goes your way."
Victory means the Stars have won their opening three games for the first time since they went undefeated through the regular season in 2013-14.
The Sixers, in contrast, are struggling with one win from four games.
Harper was the cause of most of the Sydney club's pain on Boxing Day, hitting six sixes in total and taking 41 runs off two overs from Kane Richardson alone.
The manner in which he did so was brutal, twice making use of the shorter side by pulling Richardson into the Bill O'Reilly Stand.
When Richardson swapped ends, Harper again made use of the dimensions, hitting the quick over cover for another six.
Harper also hit the former Australia white-ball quick to the rope five other times, before taking on Jack Edwards in similar fashion.
He brought up his hundred when he top-edged the allrounder over a short third man, after twice clearing the rope earlier in the over.
After going the past two BBL summers without a half-century, Harper now has scores of 55 and 110 not out to start this season.
Earlier, Siddle continued his superb start to the season with 3-23 from four overs after he also claimed 3-30 in the Stars' opener against Hobart.
He had Jordan Silk caught at cover from the final ball of the 16th over, before returning and getting Joel Davies at long off from the first ball of the 19th.
But Merlo put down a tough chance at point to remove Sean Abbott first ball, denying the former Test star his hat-trick.
Tom Curran also enjoyed some success over his old club, picking up a crucial 3-26 with the ball as the Sixers were all out for 144 on the last ball of the 20th over.
A six-season player with the Sixers, Curran left the club after the 2023-24 season, when he was suspended for four matches for pushing a fourth umpire.
