Roar Guru
The Sydney Sixers will be looking to finish BBL07 with four straight victories when they take on the last placed Melbourne Stars at the SCG. Here is my full preview, and The Prophet’s pick.
Sydney Sixers (3-6) vs Melbourne Stars (1-7) at the SCG
Head-to-head history: Melbourne Stars 4, Sydney Sixers 3
Last five: Melbourne Stars 3, Sydney Sixers 2Sydney Sixers (squad)
Johan Botha (c), Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson, Daniel Hughes, Jordan Silk, Sean Abbott, Peter Nevill +, Joe Denly, Daniel Sams, Ben Dwarshuis, Carlos Brathwaite, Micky Edwards, Nathan LyonMelbourne Stars (squad)
John Hastings (c) Michael Beer, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Evan Gulbis, Seb Gotch, Glenn Maxwell, Kevin Pietersen, Rob Quiney, Daniel Worrall, Robert Quiney, Peter Handscomb, Jackson Coleman
The Sixers will be looking to continue their late-season resurgence with a victory against the struggling Stars. Both franchises have fallen on hard times this season, occupying the two bottom spots on the ladder after making the finals last season.
The Stars are certain to finish with the wooden spoon, while the Sixers might be able to jump a couple of teams with a win in their final game.
Big batting battle: Glenn Maxwell vs Nic Maddinson
Both key batsmen, Maddinson and Maxwell have found form late in the season.
With Australia having won just one of their last thirteen ODIs, both players will know batting spots could well be up for grabs in white ball cricket and they will be looking to put more performances on the board to keep their names in the selection frame.
Big bowling battle: Nathan Lyon v Liam Bowe
The case of an experienced, established spinner up against a youngster with the duel between Nathan Lyon and Liam Bowe. Lyon has been outstanding for the Sixers since returning and will be looking to knock down the selectors door for the Australian ODI side with another strong performance.
Liam Bowe is a left arm wrist spinner with some potential and he showed that by being the Stars’ best bowler against the Thunder, taking 2 for 30 from four overs, including the wickets of James Vince and Usman Khawaja.
Ground dynamic: the SCG
The wicket was uneven when the Heat were skittled for just 74, and played a bit funny at times during the ODI on Sunday between Australian and England. We could get a low scoring game here, with the idea of batting first and being more than competitive with a score of 150 or more.
The Prophet’s pick (19-16): Sydney Sixers
“The Sixers are playing good cricket at the minute, and the Stars are a mess.”
The Prophet’s ten-unit bank (-52 units)