A big 73-run knock from Kevin Pietersen has seen the Melbourne Stars dominantly triumphant over their crosstown rivals the Melbourne Renegades on Saturday night.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Melbourne Renegades 9/154
Melbourne Stars 7/200
Stars won by 46 runs.
It is time for round two in the Victorian Derby as the bout heads to the Docklands with the Melbourne Renegades hosting the Melbourne Stars. Join The Roar for live scores from 7:10pm (AEDT).
The Derby has quickly become one of the marquee fixtures of the Big Bash shattering attendance records at both Victorian venues.
After drawing over 70,000 at the MCG on New Year’s Day, the record crowd of 43,176 for a Big Bash game at Docklands Stadium set last year could be under serious threat.
Aside from the growing rivalry between the two squads, tonight’s match shapes to be a vital game for both teams as a log jam develops on the points table.
Just one victory separates the second-placed Perth Scorchers and the sixth-placed Adelaide Strikers.
While the rest of the league have played five games, both Melbourne teams have
played just the three and although the Renegades sit fourth on the table whereas the Stars are seventh, there is not much separating the two.
In their previous match against the Sydney Thunder, for the majority of the game the Stars looked set to join the Renegades on two victories from three matches.
A brilliantly paced half-century from Kevin Pietersen and a quick fire 34 from Glenn Maxwell led Melbourne to an above par score of 166 on a slow pitch.
After the spinning duo of Adam Zampa and Michael Beer collectively bowled their seven overs for just 40 runs while also picking up a wicket, the Stars ensured the asking run rate for the Thunder was usually in double figures for the majority of the innings.
However, in his last match of the tournament, English skipper Eoin Morgan bludgeoned 17 runs in the final over including a mammoth last ball six to hand the Stars their second successive loss.
The losses have come in an unconventional fashion for the Stars – losing to the Renegades in a rain-interrupted match with a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted score and a last-ball loss to the Thunder.
While the Stars can consider themselves unlucky to lose in such a manner, the consecutive defeats have exposed deficiencies within their squad.
Despite a strong showing from the top order in all three matches, the middle order for the Stars has so far failed to build on the platform provided. Lacking new Test sensation Peter Handscomb to anchor the innings, the Stars batting unit may be a little top heavy.
In team news, Stars opener Rob Quiney is available for selection after missing the previous two matches due to a tight hamstring. He seems a likely inclusion, after a man of the match performance led Melbourne to their first and only win of the Big Bash season.
Having Quiney back should also bolster the Stars middle order issues by pushing either Glenn Maxwell or Kevin Pietersen lower down.
Meanwhile, after losing Dwayne Bravo for the remainder of the season the Renegades have called in Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera as his replacement. However, the big-hitting Sri Lankan will not make his debut against the Stars tonight due to a hold up in paperwork.
Also coming into the squad for potentially his first match of the tournament is paceman James Pattinson. Pattinson has not played any form of top-level cricket since February of last year where he last played in a test match against New Zealand.
Assuming he can stay healthy, the oft-injured but lethal paceman will be a required player for the remainder of the Renegades season and should complement spinners Brad Hogg and Sunil Narine.
Prediction
With key players James Faulkner, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa likely all departing the squad for international duty against Pakistan in the ODI’s, the Derby is a do-or-die clash for the Stars.
The Stars are likely to face the strongest bowling unit the Renegades can select with the likely inclusion of James Pattinson joining the impressive Chris Tremain and the elite spin duo of Hogg and Narine.
But with the return of Rob Quiney, the Stars may have just enough firepower to overwhelm the Renegades.
Melbourne Stars to avenge the New Year’s loss to the Renegades in a very close contest.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Definitely agree with the Ludeman call I think he's highly underrated and would definitely be 1st choice keeper in some other teams. I'm surprised that he hasn't played this season yet seeing how Adelaide are having problems with the number 6 batsman, first with Jake Lehman and now Jono Dean. I would've thought Adelaide could give Ludeman the gloves and let him bat at 6 and let Dunk focus on opening the batting. Not so sure about Craig Simmons though. Since he left the Perth Scorchers he hasn't been very effective in the BBL and also he 34 so he's not exactly young. But he still might have some currency left as a big hitter who can bowl some useful offies.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
That's all from me tonight, I hope you enjoyed the Roar's coverage of the Melbourne Derby. Until next time, goodnight
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Set up by a dominant batting display from their top order, the Melbourne Stars have cruised to a 46 run victory against the Renegades. Half centuries from the returning Rob Quiney and Kevin Peitersen put the Stars within striking distance of 200 and thanks to some brutal power hitting from captain David Hussey, they reached it with the last ball of their innings. No bowler for the Renegades was spared with Trent Lawford being the most economical going at 8 an over. In his comeback James Pattinson showed good signs bowling in the high 140's and picking up three wickets, but he also received plenty of stick especially from David Hussey who belted 20 from his last over. Chasing a terrific score it was always going to be a tough ask for the Renegades. Opening with Narine, the Renegades tried to replicate the experiment which worked well in their previous clash with the Stars however this time the gamble didn't pay off. Regular wickets hampered their chase and after Finch was dismissed the home team were never realistically in the chase. In his last game before he departs for international duty, Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers, strangling the Renegades batsmen to finish with figures of 19/3. With Maxwell and Faulkner joining Zampa in the canary yellow, this was a vital game for the Stars who now climb to fifth on the ladder with two wins and two losses.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
A comprehensive victory for the Stars who level the ledger against the Renegades after losing the first derby on New Year's day. The Melbourne Stars win by 46 runs. Boland went for 7 in his last over finishing with figures of 36/2. Melbourne Renegades 154/9 after 20.0 chasing 201 Tremian 27 Hogg 9
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
FOUR Hogg raises the bat as he gets away his first boundary of BBL 6! Short of a length from Boland and Hogg heaves it to deep mid wicket for the boundary.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Scott Boland will bowl the last over.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Hilfenhaus goes for 8 in his last over and finishes with figures of 32/1. 54 required from the last over for those who are still keeping track. Melbourne Renegades 147/9 after 19.0 chasing 201 Tremian 26 Hogg 3
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
DROPPED Tremain backs away to go over extra cover, but Zampa can't get his hands to the ball while running back with the flight. Very tough chance.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Hilfenhaus is back to bowl out his fourth and final over.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
11 runs from Boland's over, but he was very unlucky to concede those runs. Melbourne Renegades 139/9 after 18.0 chasing 201 Tremian 20 Hogg 2
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
FOUR And again! Another edge from Tremain goes a little squarer but still beats the short third man to run away for another boundary.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
FOUR Lucky boundary for Tremain, getting a fine edge from to a wide Yorker.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Boland back in the attack to try and finish off this match.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Four runs and a wicket from Hilfenhaus's third over. Just one wicket left for a comprehensive Stars victory. Melbourne Renegades 128/9 after 17.0 chasing 201 Tremian 10 Hogg 1
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Brad Hogg is the new batsman in, despite the Renegades dire situation he still has a huge smile on his face.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
OUT That is plumb! That's so plumb that Shane Watson wouldn't even challenge that. Good Yorker from Hilfenhaus trapping Pattinson in front of middle stump. Pattinson lbw b Hilfenhaus 13 (10)
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
The Derby has once again broken an attendance record as 44,189 have flocked to Docklands today. Broke the record set last year for the same match.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Hilfenhaus is back into the attack for his third over replacing Maxwell in the attack.
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
FOUR Here we go a little innovation from the tailenders as Tremain comes across his stumps a scoops him over fine leg for a boundary. Another 10 runs from that over. Melbourne Renegades 124/8 after 16.0 chasing 201 Pattinson 12 Tremian 9
Kishan Badrinath
Roar Guru
Faulkner is back into the attack for his third over.