The Melbourne Stars take on the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League at the MCG. Follow all the action on The Roar from 7:40pm (AEDT).
With eight points from six matches, a win here or in the next game should be more than enough to take the Stars to the finals.
What makes these two matches rather important for them is the venue for their semi-final.
A couple of wins will take them to 12 points. The Adelaide Strikers popped up to 12 with a win over the Hobart Hurricanes on Wednesday, while the Scorchers are on 12 as well. Both Strikers and Scorchers, however, have a game in hand.
Where the Stars will need to be careful is to not lose both their remaining matches, because that could open up a spot for the Renegades and Thunder. Both aforementioned sides are on six points, and a win in their respective last matches will pull them level on the Stars’ current tally.
Brisbane have had a poor competition, but are showing signs of improvement over their last three games, beating both the Sydney sides.
Unfortunately for captain Chris Lynn, his efforts with the bat have not resulted in his team going deeper into the tournament, nor led to his national selection.
The difference in Lynn’s form and the rest of his side has been stark – he’s made 322 runs, the next best is less than half of that.
A big game here could see the selectors bring him into the Australian ODI squad for the last two games against India, and who knows, it could even be his ticket for March’s World T20 in India.
Bowling-wise, none of the Heat players have picked up more than four wickets in the tournament.
Follow the this Big Bash League encounter from 7:40pm (AEDT), and post your comments in the section below.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's the end of that then. The Heat have come out all guns firing and completed a comprehensive win. Their third win in the tournament and their third in the last four games as well. They would have loved for such a showing in their first four matches too but that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. The Stars were looking very good to make the semi-finals at one stage but suddenly they are in trouble thanks to this huge loss. Need to win their next game now. Three more matches remain in the league stage, before the finals. Be sure to join the The Roar for the same. I will be back tomorrow for live blogging the second Australia-India ODI. You can read what I feel about the Indian showing in the first ODI here: http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/01/13/questions-galore-for-india-after-perth-loss/ Ciao.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gulbis remains unbeaten on 61, while the Stars end on 9/132 in their 20.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gulbis has hammered two fours in the final over to get himself to 60, one through backward point and the other pulled through deep square. 10 from that last over as the Heat beat the Stars by 56 runs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four from that Lalor over and two wickets. 9/121 in 19.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Michael Beer has walked out at 11. 29 BBL runs, 39 BBL wickets in his career.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled him again! Another stump-crasher... ...yorker-length from Lalor and Worrall had no chance of getting his bat down in time. Crashes into the stumps, as the Stars lose nine. 9/118 in 18.4
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gulbis' 50 at number seven is the first ever in BBL cricketer at that position.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled! Hilfenhaus has been cleaned up... ...Lalor gets one now. Very full and hits Hilfy on his boot. Looked like he could well have been lbw had that not been bowled. Eight down.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
50 for Gulbis! Slow start but converts it to a half-century. Drives to the extra-cover region for a single to bring him to his landmark. No-one else to support him though.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Evan Gulbis has paddled one over the leg side for a four to get to 48. Second four of the over. And a single to the cover fielder gets him to 49. 10 off Hopes' last over in the BBL. 72 needed from two overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
James Hopes is in his last over now and gets welcomed by Hilfenhaus's swipe that earns him a four. Misses the second ball. 7/111 in 17.2
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four from the Lalor over. 7/107 in 17.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Incidentally, the buzz from elsewhere is that an ex South African national cricketer is being probed for allegations of match-fixing. And according to Afrikaans news outlet Netwerk24, it's allegedly Ghulam Bodi.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled him! Swepson has Zampa... Googly again and Zampa went for a hoick over the leg-side. Missed. Bowled. Seven down, second for Swepson with all wickets picked by a leggie tonight. 7/103 in 16.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A four over fine-leg, a three top-edged to third-man and four dots in that Cutting over. 6/94 in 15. 94 in the first 15, 95 needed off the last five.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just five from the Swepson over, with Hussey's wicket putting the brakes on again. Just after it looked they were looking to accelerate. 6/87 in 14. 105 needed from 36 balls.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Hussey falls to Swepson... ...six down and all six to leggies! Was looking to sweep it away and gets a top-edge. The fielder came around and takes a good catch pedalling back. 6/82 in 13.1
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Seven overs to go, 107 to get. Need 15.28 an over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Much, much needed six! Short of length from Ben Cutting and it's jabbed away to mid-wicket by Gulbis for a max. And then smashes one down the ground for a ball pitched right up to him. Four. Still, just the 13 off it, less than the rate required. 5/82 in 13.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mark Waugh talking of tall leg-spinners around the world. There's another Indian, Rahul Sharma, quite tall, who played four ODIs and two T20Is.