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Big Bash League 2015-16: Melbourne Stars preview

13th December, 2015
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Does the Big Bash League need more than just ageing stars to thrive? (image: AAP)
Roar Guru
13th December, 2015
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1902 Reads

Seen by many as the Collingwood of the Big Bash League, Eddie McGuire’s Melbourne Stars have experienced a very successful start to their Twenty20 career having qualified for the finals in all four previous campaigns.

However, the boys in green have yet to make that next step having fallen short in each of their preliminary finals.

So will we see more of the same from the talented Stars this season or will four years of pain see the Melbournians push for their first ever BBL title?

Last season
BBL04 was a unique campaign for the Stars as three straight losses to the Strikers, Hurricanes and Heat saw the men in green slip to the bottom of the table at the conclusion of the second round.

With everything going against them it took a dominant performance in Round 4 to get this club off their knees as an incredible all-round bowling effort saw them roll the Renegades for 57 in a heated Melbourne derby.

This victory sparked the Stars into action as another super-over win against the Sixers and a classic win in the season’s second Melbourne derby saw the Stars back in the mix for yet another finals birth.

They continued their winning streak until the end of the regular season with victories against the Thunder and Scorchers securing third place on the Big Bash table and a trip to Perth for yet another finals appearance.

With the competition’s leading run-scorer and international superstar Kevin Pietersen leading the batsmen in style and the experience of Jackson Bird and John Hasting spearheading the attack, the Stars went into their finals campaign full of confidence.

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It took a brave 50 from Scorchers import Michael Carberry and a deadly spell from Andrew Tye to end the Stars’ incredible run, hence resulting in the boys in green again falling one step short of a Big Final appearance.

Early Look
Stars players look in good nick heading into this year’s tournament with a large majority showing their worth both in local and overseas competitions. Perhaps the biggest name in the BBL this year, Pietersen, looks to be in superb form, coming into his second Big Bash campaign with the Stars having smashed two centuries for the Sunfoil Dolphins in South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge.

Locally, the Matador Cup and Sheffield Shield have seen the likes of John Hastings, Scott Boland and Marcus Stoinis improve their game tremendously as they have helped lift Victoria to success in the early parts of the season.

The Stars have a well-balanced squad this season containing a healthy mixture of proven superstars and young guns. With the likes of Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Luke Wright, Pietersen and Hastings leading the charge alongside seasoned skipper David Hussey, this Stars squad looks as ready as ever to take the next step as their reliance on Australian one-day players has lowered significantly.

The one thing the Stars lack is a genuine strike bowler having lost the likes of Lasith Malinga and Bird in the past two seasons. This leaves Hastings with a huge task in BBL05 as he takes the new ball and leads the Melbourne Stars attack.

Containing a mixture of solid domestic bowlers the Stars are going to need the likes of Scott Boland and Ben Hilfenhaus to stand up this season if they are going to be any chance of winning their first ever BBL title.

New signings
One of the most talented leg spinners in the land, Adam Zampa moves onto his third club in as many years after signing with the Stars in the off-season. After picking up nine wickets for the Strikers last season, Zampa crosses the border with a reputation of bamboozling opposition batsmen.

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With a solid Matador Cup and good start to the Sheffield Shield season under his belt expect Zampa to take over the reigns as the Stars’ number one spinner and play a key role in their push for a BBL title.

Fresh from a stint at the Hurricanes, Hilfenhaus looks rested and ready to have a huge impact at the Stars in BBL05. After losing premier swing bowler Bird in the off-season Hilfenhaus is going to have a significant role to play for his new side. After picking up a solid nine wickets in BBL04 Australia’s previous premier swing bowler will be out to prove that he still has some good cricket ahead of him.

Other Signings: Evan Gulbis (Hurricanes), Sam Harper

Departures
Cameron White (Renegades), Alex Keath (Strikers), Jackson Bird (Sixers), Clive Rose (Hurricanes), Clint McKay (Thunder), and Luke Feldman (Heat).

Squad
David Hussey (captain), Michael Beer, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Evan Gulbis, John Hastings, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Ben Hilfenhaus, Glenn Maxwell, Kevin Pietersen (international), Rob Quiney, Marcus Stoinis, Tom Triffitt, Daniel Worrall, Luke Wright (international), Adam Zampa.

Prediction
Having lost many class players in the off-season, many would see this as the weakest Stars squad in the club’s history. However, with the recruitment of both Zampa and Hilfenhaus along with the form Pietersen has shown in South Africa recently, expect the Stars to remain at the top end of the BBL table this summer.

Although they have lost some firepower with both bat and ball the Stars have much more balance in their squad this year. They are much less reliant on Australian international players meaning they should be able to field a similar side throughout the duration of the tournament.

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Placing: Third

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