Melbourne Stars
Match Complete
Sydney Thunder
| 9/147 Melbourne Stars win by 22 runs |
| 2/34 (3.1) | *Cartwright | O: 20.0 | Sangha* | 0 (0) |
| 2/10 (4.0) | Zampa | RR:6.30 | Cook | 2 (2) |
| c. Hatcher b. Zampa |  | 19.4 9/145 |  | Holt 1(3) |
| c. Dunk b. Zampa | | 19.3 8/145 | | McAndrew 6(4) |
| c. sub b. Cartwright | | 18.4 7/137 | | Green 5(6) |
| c. Hinchliffe b. Cartwright | | 18.2 6/135 | | Ross 18(15) |
| c. Stoinis b. Hatcher | | 16.4 5/120 | | Sams 0(1) |
| c. sub b. Hatcher | | 16.3 4/120 | | Cutting 2(7) |
| c. Fletcher b. Hatcher | | 14.5 3/115 | | Ferguson 54(35) |
| c. Cartwright b. Hinchliffe | | 12.1 2/90 | | Hales 46(41) |
| c. Dunk b. Hussain | | 2.1 1/21 | | Khawaja 7(7) |
| First Innings: Melbourne Stars | 8/169 | RR: 7.24 | O: 20.0 |
Show Full Scoreboard
Hide Full Scoreboard
| First Innings: Melbourne Stars | 8/169 | RR: 7.24 | O: 20.0 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M.P. Stoinis c. Sams b. Cook | 61 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 164.86 |
A.D.S. Fletcher lbw. Sangha | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 120.00 |
G.J. Maxwell* lbw. Green | 39 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 134.48 |
H.W.R. Cartwright c. Cook b. McAndrew | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 112.50 |
B.R. Dunk+ c. Green b. Sangha | 16 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 133.33 |
N.C.R. Larkin b. Sams | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 107.14 |
C.D. Hinchliffe lbw. Green | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
A. Zampa b. Sams | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
L.C. Hatcher not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
B.J. Stanlake not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
D. Hussain | |||||
Extras (b 0, lb 2, w 8, nb 0) | 10 | ||||
| Total | 169 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.D. Cook | 4.0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 8.25 |
| D.R. Sams | 3.0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 8.00 |
| C.J. Green | 4.0 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 10.50 |
| N.J. McAndrew | 4.0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 9.00 |
| T. Sangha | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 6.50 |
| B.C.J. Cutting | 1.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6.00 |
| First Innings: Sydney Thunder | 9/147 | RR: 6.30 | O: 20.0 |
|---|
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.T. Khawaja c. Dunk b. Hussain | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
A.D. Hales c. Cartwright b. Hinchliffe | 46 | 41 | 4 | 2 | 112.20 |
C.J. Ferguson* c. Fletcher b. Hatcher | 54 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 154.29 |
A.I. Ross c. Hinchliffe b. Cartwright | 18 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 120.00 |
B.C.J. Cutting c. sub b. Hatcher | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
D.R. Sams c. Stoinis b. Hatcher | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
C.J. Green c. sub b. Cartwright | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
N.J. McAndrew c. Dunk b. Zampa | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 |
B.J. Holt+ c. Hatcher b. Zampa | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
J.D. Cook not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
T. Sangha not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Extras (b 0, lb 1, w 4, nb 1) | 6 | ||||
| Total | 147 | ||||
| Bowlers | O | M | R | W | Ec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.J. Maxwell | 1.0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11.00 |
| B.J. Stanlake | 4.0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 8.50 |
| D. Hussain | 1.5 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 6.00 |
| C.D. Hinchliffe | 2.0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
| A. Zampa | 4.0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 2.50 |
| L.C. Hatcher | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 3 | 7.00 |
| H.W.R. Cartwright | 3.1 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 10.74 |
The Big Bash League is up and running for another year and we have a feast of T20 cricket coming our way. This afternoon, the Melbourne Stars take on the Sydney Thunder at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:05pm (AEDT).
Normal service resumes close to Christmas when all teams return to their traditional home grounds. However, for the first fortnight, with COVID still rearing its ugly head from time to time, the BBL is based in Tasmania and the ACT. That’s why this afternoon’s game will be played in the nation’s capital.
Anyone who saw the rain-impacted BBL final last year will remember the look on the Melbourne Stars’ players faces when they realised another season had slipped by.
You can only assume they will be even more desperate to finally win the title this year.
They have kept the nucleus of the side that went close last year, with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa all likely to enjoy uninterrupted seasons with the Stars.
They have lost Haris Rauf, however, who was probably the surprise packet of the last BBL. They will also miss Jonny Bairstow, who has been called away on international duty. West Indian Andre Fletcher is his replacement.
The Sydney Thunder made the semi-finals last season and you get the feeling they will be thereabouts again.
They have added Ben Cutting and Kiwi Adam Milne to their squad, with Sam Billings joining the team after Christmas. Alex Hales returns, also.
The real advantage of this Sydney Thunder team is that their key Australian players Usman Khawaja, Chris Green and Callum Ferguson will get a full season in the bright green kit.
Prediction
Tipping early in the season is fraught with danger but it’s hard to go past the Stars here.
Maxwell looks due for a big score while Adam Zampa has been bowling well for Australia.
The Thunder will be heavily reliant on Hales and Khawaja to get them within striking distance of a win.
Melbourne Stars by 15 runs or 3 wickets.
Game information
First ball: 4:05pm (AEDT)
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
TV: Fox Cricket
Live stream: Kayo Sports, Foxtel
Odds: Stars $1.53, Thunder $2.52
Teams
Melbourne Stars squad
Glenn Maxwell (c), Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Andre Fletcher (West Indies), Seb Gotch, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Dilbar Hussain (Pakistan), Zahir Khan (Afghanistan), Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Will Pucovski, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Sydney Thunder squad
Callum Ferguson (c), Sam Billings (England), Jonathan Cook, Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales (England), Baxter Holt, Usman Khawaja, Nathan McAndrew, Adam Milne (New Zealand), Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain
David Holden
Roar Guru
Thanks Josh.
David Holden
Roar Guru
I'll be back tomorrow night for the Sixers and Renegades. Thanks for following the blog
David Holden
Roar Guru
The Melbourne Stars have been too good for the Sydney Thunder tonight. Adam Zampa puts the brakes on early and his 2/10 off 4 overs probably proved the difference
David Holden
Roar Guru
MELBOURNE STARS BEAT THE SYDNEY THUNDER BY 22 RUNS
David Holden
Roar Guru
No run off the last.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Cook slog sweeps and completes 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
Zampa has the hattrick ball on Cook
David Holden
Roar Guru
WICKET Holt swings at that and Hatcher takes the catch. Thunder 9/145 off 19.4 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Cook comes in
David Holden
Roar Guru
WICKET. McAndrew lofts and Dunk takes the easy catch. Thunder 8/145 off 19.3 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
Holt goes to long on for a single
David Holden
Roar Guru
Dot ball to start as no contact on the reverse sweep
David Holden
Roar Guru
26 needed from the last Zampa over. Mission impossible?
David Holden
Roar Guru
Free hit. Maxwell has saved the six. Over bowled and Thunder are 7/144 from 19 overs
David Holden
Roar Guru
FOUR No ball from Cartwright and McAndrew turns around the corner for 4
David Holden
Roar Guru
Swing and a miss from McAndrew
David Holden
Roar Guru
Holt is the new batsman