The second match of the day and the 22nd in the tournament will see Big Bash League 2013-14 table-toppers Melbourne Stars play the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. Follow the action live from 7.15 pm AEDT.
The Stars have gone from strength to strength in the competition and with five wins from as many games, are all but through to the second stage of the competition.
And when they visit the Gabba to play the Heat in their sixth of the tournament, Brisbane will have the cognizance of the situation they face.
After starting off the tournament with a 76-run win over their cross-town rivals Renegades, they crushed the Sixers by 77 runs in the second.
The Thunder pushed them into the last over but the Stars were never in danger of going down in their chase of 156 before they registered a nine-wicket win over the Renegades with 22 balls to spare.
Then came the big one. Facing a reasonably strong all-round playing XI of the Adelaide Strikers, there were talks of the game being the first one that tests the Stars.
On a difficult pitch, the Strikers seemed to have done well to bat first but that ended rather badly for them – they were restricted to a paltry 9/90 in their 20 overs.
And if one thought they would be able to push the Stars into the final quarter of their overs in the chase, they were in for a huge surprise.
The Stars completed their win in only 7.3 overs, thereby boosting their net run-rate up to +3.25.
To give you a context of how superb that is, the Renegades had ended the competition with seven wins out of eight games last season and had an NRR of plus-0.791.
The Scorchers in 2011-12 topped the table with five wins from seven and could muster up only +0.626.
To give an analogy, the Stars’ performance this season has been much like Bayern Munich’s in the Bundesliga this season – who are not only at the top of the table by some distance, but also have a goal difference of +34 to the next best of being half of that.
The Heat are up against and they will know that.
What they will also know is that they had found themselves in a similar situation last season – in fact after five games last year, they had four points, which is exactly what they have this year too. And we all know how that ended for them.
The Heat will also look to take away a few positives from wherever they can.
For instance, three of the Stars players, who have done reasonably well for them in the competition, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner and Clint McKay have been ruled out of this clash because of their national commitments.
That will test the Stars’ depth and while there is someone like Rob Quiney to replace him, the Heat could look to exploit the likes of James Muirhead and one of the other inexperienced bowling replacements.
Trust the Stars to start off favourites yet again but the James Hopes-led Heat will come out hard at them.
Join us for the Heat v Stars match in the Big Bash League 2013-14 on Saturday and you can follow the live score of this game from 7.15pm AEDT and post your comments below.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The Heat are now in strife. They have played six and have only four points, which means even if they win their last two games, they will need to rely on the other results to have a chance of going through to the last-four. That's it from me for tonight, thanks for following this live coverage.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
What a game, one that's gone deep into the final over of the match. The Stars were tested for the first time but once again, their depth has bailed them out. Quiney was playing his first game here and he pulled his side out of trouble to win it for them. This was after it looked at one stage they looked like they were running away with the game, did the Stars. A middle overs mini-collapse caused some concerns but they have won with two balls to spare.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Swung away for a six! Hastings has swung a length ball away, up and over long-on for a six! Melbourne Stars have won their sixth in a row here!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And that's going to be two more, fuller and on the middle and Hastings's glanced it away to fine-leg, who's inside the circle. Two needed off two.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Is he out, yes he is! What a turnaround, another one bites the dust here... ...Quiney has played a rather silly stroke with four needed from five, he was trying to finish it off with a six, but the slashed shot has gone straight to the fielder at deep point! 7/141 in 19.2, four needed from four!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Widish ball, fuller and well played by Quiney, dug out to deep point for a couple of runs here. Four needed from five.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And the last over will be bowled by Steketee, who has conceded just 12 in his first three.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Hastings joins Quiney. Yorker length from round the stumps and Quiney manages to squeeze it through to the off side for a single. 6 needed in the last over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And that's gone! Short ball from Gannon, he was looking to do that with the field he had set, sending the players back to third-man and fine-leg and calling up the mid-on and mid-off... ...Stoinis was looking to fore-hand it, gets it on the bottom of the bat and caught at the cover region. Seven needed, seven balls.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Wow, six off the third ball and that's all but over! Full-toss from Gannon, not even one of those low full-tosses, so he's missed the yorker by some distance and it's been deposited over long-off for a maximum. A dot next. 7 needed from 8.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gives himself room here, Quiney and wanted to smash it through extra-cover but manages to get it straight to the fielder for a single. 13 needed from 10.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
15 came in the McDermott over, as he continues to look underwhelming in this tournament. 0/32 in 3 for him. Gannon comes in for the 19th and sends down a yorker and restricts them to 1. 14 off 11 needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The last ball of McDermott's third is slashed to deep cover for a single. 15 needed from 12 here.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Another boundary, this time it's a four and the momentum for the Heat seems to have fizzled out. This was a pick-up stroke from Quiney, who gets it angled into him and lifts him over square-leg with som ease. Taps one down to long-off for a single. 16 needed from 13 here.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, six! That's a pressure-releaser! Quiney has swung across the line and its gone really long and high and for a six! Into the stands. Follows it up with a couple of runs to wide long-on. 21 needed from 15.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Alister McDermott comes on and Stoinis has tapped one to mid-wicket and come through for a quick one. 29 needed from 17.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Edged and that's gone to third-man for just one. What that means is that only six came in that Gannon over and the Stars need 30 to win from three overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Very full and Quiney can only flick it away for a single, excellent, stump to stump bowling from Gannon here. 31 needed from 19
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Single first ball for Stoinis, down to long-on. 32 needed from 20.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled him! Wade hadn't got much of the strike and he's been dismissed here! Round the stumps from Gannon and he was looking to walk away and scoop it over fine-leg, but misses. The bails are on the ground and the Stars are five down! Wade made 31. 33 from 21 needed.