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BBL07: Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers preview and prediction

Roar Guru
15th January, 2018
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Carlos Braithwaite of the Sixers gestures as he celebrates after the the LBW of Usman Khawaja from his ball during the Big Bash League (BBL) cricket match between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney, Saturday, January 13, 2018. (AAP Image/David Moir)
Roar Guru
15th January, 2018
2
1008 Reads

The Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers will both be looking for a second victory in disappointing campaigns when they clash at the MCG tonight. Here is my full preview, and The Prophet’s pick.

Melbourne Stars (1-5) v Sydney Sixers (1-6) at the MCG

Head-to-head history: Melbourne Stars 4, Sydney Sixers 2
Last five: Melbourne Stars 4, Sydney Sixers 1

Melbourne Stars 13-man squad
John Hastings (c), Ben Dunk, Jackson Coleman, James Faulkner, Peter Handscomb, Evan Gulbis, Glenn Maxwell, Kevin Pietersen, Seb Gotch, Liam Bowe, Daniel Fallins, Daniel Worrall, Luke Wright

Sydney Sixers 13-man squad
Johan Botha (c), Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson, Daniel Hughes, Joe Denly, Jordan Silk, Sean Abbott, Peter Nevill, Daniel Sams, Ben Dwarshuis, Carlos Brathwaite, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon

Preview
Both the Stars and Sixers will be searching for a second straight win when they clash at the MCG tonight. Both franchises have fallen on tough times in BBL07, with the Stars and Sixers propping up the bottom of the table after making the finals last season.

Big batting battle: Kevin Pietersen vs Daniel Hughes
Both key batsmen in the Stars and Sixers line-ups, Pietersen and Hughes have had quiet campaigns until they top scored in match-winning performances at their last start. Pietersen was explosive, scoring 74 from 46 balls against the Renegades, including five towering sixes, as he looks to sign off on his four-year stint in the BBL in style.

Daniel Hughes really marshalled the Sixers’ chase against rivals the Thunder, finishing on 66 not out from 55 balls, after a quiet opening six games from the opening batsman.

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Daniel Hughes playing a legside shot for the Sydney Sixers

(AAP Image/Paul Miller)

Big bowling battle: Jackson Coleman vs Nathan Lyon
Jackson Coleman has been somewhat of a surprise packet for the Stars this season, while Nathan Lyon adds quality and experience to the Sixers in his second game back from the Test arena. Coleman was the Stars’ best bowler against the Renegades, taking 3/27 from his overs, including the key wickets of the in-form Tom Cooper, as well as openers Harris and Ludeman.

Lyon was really tidy in his first appearance against the Thunder, taking 1/24 from his four overs with the key wicket of James Vince, and controlling the dangerous Usman Khawaja in the powerplay.

Ground dynamic: The MCG
The MCG curator has produced some pretty flat wickets this season, with the ODI on Sunday night comfortably providing over 600 runs combined as England easily ran down Australia’s total of 304.

The Stars have struggled in their two games at the MCG batting first this season, failing to score over 157, and the ground is not typically the highest scoring T20 venue with its vast expanses. The team batting first will be very competitive with a score of 165.

The Prophet’s pick: Melbourne Stars
“In the clash for the spoon, I give the home side the edge.”

The Prophet’s ten-unit bank
3 Units: Stars to win by 1-20 runs or 1-4 wickets at $5.50
3 Units: Peter Handscomb to score 25+ runs into a Stars win at $3.10
1.5 Units: Stars high bat/bowler double of Maxwell/Faulkner at $16
1.5 Units: Sixers high bat/bowler double of Hughes/Dwarshuis at $20
1 Unit: Daniel Fallins man of the match at $21

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