Cartwright credits red hot form to World Cup champion

Melbourne Stars batter Hilton Cartwright has revealed the key to his recent form has been some words of wisdom from teammate and T20 World Cup winner Marcus Stoinis.

Cartwright has been a consistent performer throughout KFC BBL|11 but last night at the Gabba the Western Australian took his game to the next level, hammering a spectacular 79 from 44 balls – his highest score in the format.

The innings included eight sixes and showcased Cartwright's well-renowned hitting power, but the man himself was more satisfied with his ability to build an innings from the third over and with his side three wickets down and in significant early trouble.

And for that, he gave credit to his Stars and WA teammate Stoinis, with whom he has spoken to in recent times about reinventing himself as a middle-order finisher with the Stars – in much the same manner Stoinis has begun doing with Australia.

"In the past I've always wanted to bat up the top, and I've struggled to grasp how I play down (at number five)," Cartwright said after the Stars' 20-run victory over the Brisbane Heat that pushed them into the top four.

"Obviously having Marcus Stoinis here, he's done a lot of stuff for Australia and in the IPL batting in the middle-order and at the back-end (of an innings), and I've really learnt from him over the last year-and-a-half in how to do that.

"So he's been pivotal in how I approach that situation now.

"Rather than specific advice around how to play, it's more just around situation analysis – more the mental side of things rather than the physical.

"I know I can hit sixes and fours … but it's just around how to approach things if you've got two overs left or 12 overs left, and how to build your innings.

"At times I've gotten really confused, on whether I should just go out there and hit my first ball for six or if I should go out there and soak up 10 balls, so it's just been about (him providing) a lot of clarity around that.

"He's had a lot of success, so to be able to lean on him and his global experience, and to be able to convert that information is really crucial for someone like myself who's only done it a dozen times or so."

Cartwright laughed after play when he recalled shouldering arms to his first ball outside off stump, suggesting "you don't leave balls in T20" but he added it was an indication that he was focused on the sizeable task at hand.

A short time later he was advancing down the track and depositing Mujeeb Ur Rahman into the second tier over long off – a massive blow that was the first of his eight sixes.

Teaming up with Englishman Joe Clarke, the two right-handers put together a match-defining 151-run stand, a Big Bash record for the fourth wicket.

"We know he's got great power and when he gets in a mood like that he's hard to stop," said Heat captain Jimmy Peirson. "We knew he'd target this (Vulture St) end, which he did, and he batted beautifully."