Glenn Maxwell had the perfect response to his omission from the Test squad for Sri Lanka on Thursday night, blasting 58 from 32 balls as the Melbourne Stars took down the Sydney Sixers. But the match was marred by controversy, with a number of decisions dividing the players and cricket fans.

Maxwell was left out of Australia’s 16-player squad for the upcoming Tests against Sri Lanka on Thursday, after it appeared he was some chance to be picked. But he didn’t let the disappointment affect his on-field performance, and the all-rounder was brilliant with bat and in the field against the Sixers.

He notched a match-winning innings with the bat and took two tricky catches in the field as the Stars won by 16 runs to keep their season alive. After posting 5-156 while batting first, the Stars then restricted the Sixers to 9-140 from their 20 overs.

Maxwell’s knock set up the win on a pitch that proved tricky for batting. Stars captain Marcus Stoinis said after the game: “‘Maxi’ and I have been here for 100 games each. We love this club. As much as anyone, I think in the comp, we want our club to be back at the top where we know it should be. We want to win every game, but these wins mean a lot to us so I guess that emotion just comes out.”

Catch controversy overshadows Melbourne Stars victory

But the win didn’t come without controversy, and Sixers fans thought they were completed dudded late in their run chase. Usama Mir claimed a low catch off his own bowling to dismiss Jack Edwards for 9, but the umpires wanted to check whether the ball bounced or not.

Replays appeared very inconclusive – and many thought the ball bounced before going into Mir’s hand – but the third umpire gave Edwards out anyway. Speaking in commentary for Fox Cricket, Adam Gilchrist felt it was the wrong call, saying: “I thought the fingers were spread so there was some sort of assistance from the turf.”

Fans were completely divided on social media. While some thought the ball bounced off his fingers into the palm of his hand, others felt there was clear evidence of the ball hitting the ground.

Glenn Maxwell lucky to survive two key decisions

And it wasn’t the only controversy, with Sixers captain Moises Henriques left fuming on two occasions after missing the chance to dismiss Maxwell. The first came in bizarre circumstances when Maxwell appeared to be caught-behind, but none of the Sixers players really appealed.

It was only after a replay was shown on the big screen that Henriques tried to ask the umpire for a review, but he was denied. Henriques was mic’d up and told Fox Cricket: “We appealed, given not out. We went for the review … but replays keep coming on too early, and because they put the replay up before the DRS counter, we weren’t allowed to appeal.”

In commentary, England great Michael Vaughan said ground staff shouldn’t be flashing replays on the screen so soon, but also suggested the Sixers were wrong to appeal after seeing it. “If the Sixers have appealed and the replay has come on too soon, and it is out, I think that’s poor form.

“As soon as the replay comes on, it has given the captain an insight into what’s happened, so it’s pretty much done and dusted. You can’t get any kind of indication of what’s happened.

“[But] this shouldn’t happen. The replays shouldn’t come on so quickly. Surely there has to be a protocol that a replay doesn’t happen until at least 15 seconds after the action has taken place. It’s something that shouldn’t really happen at this level.”

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Henriques was also miffed when Maxwell was given not out on an lbw review, but there was confusion because the Stars batter had switch-hit. The DRS technology said the ball pitched outside leg-stump, but Henriques questioned whether that was void because Maxwell had switched and effectively become a left-hander. Maxwell and Henriques were seen jawing at each other throughout his innings in tetchy scenes.