‘Don’t want to use the word dream’: Derby hero says reborn Stars targeting finals berth

Melbourne derby hero Hilton Cartwright says the Stars feel “more structured” after winning consecutive Big Bash games for the first time in more than 12 months.

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But the powerful hitter said he was feeling the pinch of the Stars’ precarious finals equation as they needed to win all three of their remaining matches to stand a chance of making the top four.

Cartwright came in at no. 7 and crashed 24 off 12 balls as Glenn Maxwell (20 off 10) helped him chase down the Melbourne Renegades’ 7-169 at the MCG on Saturday night to keep the Stars’ season alive.

Their back-to-back wins came with the same reshuffled batting order, and Cartwright said he was playing with more freedom with Maxwell at the other end.

But the Stars could have to get inventive to keep the same middle-order in their final three games, with Tom Curran’s return from a calf strain to force Lawrence out of the side.

“Obviously the shuffle has worked … I think Dan Lawrence has also provided some batsmanship at the top of the order as well … but I think the way we’ve been chasing runs and setting totals has been much more structured compared to what we’ve done in the past,” Cartwright said after the final over win.

“The last four or five totals, we’ve actually provided a good run chase – we’ve fallen at times, but the last two games we’ve reaped the rewards of those foundations.

“I think it’s just nice to get some reward … we were in games at times, we were losing in crucial moments, and the last two games we’ve been in the whole time.”

The Western Australian right-hander disagreed with the theory the Stars’ do-or-die finals equation after slumping to a 0-5 start had helped them play more freely in the last two games.

“I think (finals) is the … I don’t want to use the word ‘dream’, because that seems a bit too far-fetched, but I think that’s obviously the plan – we’ve just got to focus on each game at a time,” he said.

“I have the almost opposite feeling that if you fail now, that’s season done, and then you’ve got (three) dead rubbers.

“I think there’s almost more pressure on each game now, rather than the other way round.”

The Renegades, who were missing frontline quick Kane Richardson due to soreness on Saturday, faced a daunting trip to Perth where they would need to beat a Scorchers side smarting from a final-ball loss to the Thunder to keep their finals hopes alive.