Ex-Hampshire T20 title winner Christian stars in Australian Big Bash League

The 37-year-old all-rounder belted an unbeaten 49 off just 23 balls as the Sixers dramatically defeated Melbourne Stars by four wickets off the penultimate delivery of the match.

James Vince - who was in the same Hampshire team as Christian when the county won the T20 Blast for the first time in 2010 - had earlier hit a 32-ball 46. But despite that innings, the Sixers were struggling at 103-5 with 77 needed off just 42 balls.

But Christian - one of the game’s most decorated T20 players - and Jordan Silk (35no) kept their cool to set up a play-off encounter with the Perth Scorchers.

Sixers needed 10 off the last over and, after Billy Stanlake had started with a dot ball, Christian blasted the second for six. Two singles followed before Christian top edged an attempted bouncer to the boundary for the winning runs.

Another ex-Hampshire all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell, had top scored for Stars with a stunning 41-ball 66 as his side posted 177-6.

Scorchers had entered the last round of games in top spot but suffered a six-run defeat in their final group encounter against Brisbane Heat.

One-time Gosport Borough batsman Chris Lynn top scored with a 25-ball 51 as Heat posted 181-7.

Despite 41 from England’s Jason Roy and an undefeated 54 from Mitchell Marsh, Scorchers fell short.

Lynn ended as the group’s fourth highest run scorer with 420.

Top of the charts was England outcast Alex Hales with 534 at 41.15 with a blistering strike rate of 163.6.

Hales, playing for Sydney Thunder, also struck the most sixes - 30 - with Lynn second on 24.

Hales ended the group in stunning form, hammering 110 against the Sixers and an unbeaten 63 off 39 balls against the Adelaide Strikers.

Vince was 15th highest run scorer in the group, with 344 at 26.46. Team-mates Josh Philippe (454) and Silk (365) scored more.