Glenn Maxwell overcame conjunctivitis and two neck pains to whack his highest Big Bash League score but his Melbourne Stars still couldn't beat the Sydney Sixers at the SCG.
After one-day international outcast Maxwell bludgeoned 84 off just 47 balls with Australia coach Darren Lehmann watching on from the commentary box, Nic Maddinson replied with a quickfire 61 off 26 to power the Sixers to a fourth-straight victory.
English import Joe Denly hit an unbeaten 72 from 45 as the Sixers' easily chased down the Stars' 5-189 with 15 balls and five wickets to spare.
Maddinson brought up his 50 in 22 balls - one less than Maxwell - as his innings featured a complete set of fours off a James Faulkner over as he finished with 12 boundaries, including three sixes.
By the time he was adjudged lbw to a John Hastings (2-27) delivery in the 10th over, the Sixers were well on their way to the highest successful BBL chase at the SCG.
Earlier, Maxwell had sent a message of his own to Lehmann with his highest BBL score, after it was announced Australia's one-day team faces a wide-ranging review following their worst-ever start to a home summer.
The allrounder considered not playing in the match due to an eye injury, but still completed the Stars' equal-quickest half-century on the same ground Australia's middle order failed fire on against England just two days earlier.
"At times I had to pull away, having to refocus after blinking is difficult," Maxwell said.
He also struggled to bat in a helmet during the second half of the innings, after he injured his neck trying to reverse sweep Nathan Lyon.
"I hurt my neck yesterday at training, and I hurt the other side when I went to do the switch-hit," he said, clarifying earlier reports it was in fact a side strain.
"I hurt it slogging right-handed, and then I hurt it slogging left-handed, so I hurt both sides of my neck."
Otherwise he hit the ball superbly, either side of the wicket, cutting and flicking the ball behind and in front of square at will until he was caught at deep cover off Carlos Brathwaite (2-31).
Maxwell's knock arrived a day after the 29-year-old earned a recall to Australian colours through the T20 side but he later admitted he was disappointed not to be named in the Test squad for March's tour of South Africa.
"You would love to see him in form like this and making big runs," Lehmann said on Channel Ten.
"When he's in this mood, he can take the game away from you very quickly.
"I have seen him bat like this a couple of times. He looks in total control."
