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Melbourne Stars
Sydney Sixers
The Melbourne Stars will take on the Sydney Sixers in Match 28 of BBL 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Sixers are currently at the top of the table with 9 points from 6 matches. With 4 wins and a net run rate of 0.228, they have looked like a consistent side.
Their recent record against the Stars is dominant, with 4 wins in the last 5 head-to-head encounters. Notably, all those wins came while chasing, making the toss crucial for this match.
The Melbourne Stars, despite being at the bottom of the table, have shown some resilience with back-to-back wins in their last two games. With 2 wins from 7 matches, they will look to continue their momentum.
Historically, the Sixers have a better head-to-head record, winning 15 out of 23 matches, with 10 of those wins coming in successful chases.
Ben Dwarshuis has taken 10 wickets in 5 matches this season and boasts a record of 21 wickets against the Stars, making him a reliable wicket-taker in this matchup.
The betting tip is...
Ben Dwarshuis - Over 1.5 wickets
61 %
39 %
Melbourne StarsSydney SixersBeau Webster will return to the squad after national duties and is expected to feature in the remaining matches. However, Scott Boland will not play any further games this season.
Captain Marcus Stoinis has scored 242 runs in 7 matches at an SR of 128.72. He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in BBL 2024. Ben Duckett has 202 runs in 5 matches striking at 156.58. Both Stoinis and Duckett are coming off strong performances, scoring 48 and 67 respectively in their last successful chase. The batting lineup will need more contributions from other players.
In the bowling department, Peter Siddle has been the most effective with 8 wickets in 6 matches at an economy of under 8. Mir and Paris have supported well with 5 and 4 wickets, respectively, while Beau Webster, who took 3 wickets earlier in the season, is expected to boost the attack further.
Duckett, Stoinis and Siddle are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Tom Rogers, Ben Duckett, Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Stoinis (c), Beau Webster, Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Usama Mir, Joel Paris, Mark Steketee, Peter Siddle
Steve Smith will rejoin the squad for only 3 matches before leaving for the Lanka tour. However, he will not be available for this match. Sean Abbott is also expected to return, but his availability remains unclear.
James Vince has been the standout performer with 175 runs in 5 matches. Ross has scored 158 runs in 7 matches, while Josh Phillipe has contributed 154 runs in 5 games. Captain Moises Henriques has also chipped in with a crucial fifty.
On the bowling front, Ben Dwarshuis leads the charts with 10 wickets in 5 matches. Jackson Bird has picked up 7 wickets in 3 matches, while Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, and Akeal Hosein have contributed consistently with 5, 4, and 4 wickets.
Dwarshuis, Bird and Kerr are the key bowlers.
Predicted Lineup: Josh Philippe (wk), James Vince, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques (c), Jordan Silk, Jack Edwards, Hayden Kerr, Ben Dwarshuis, Akeal Hosein, Todd Murphy, Jackson Bird
The Sixers' strong bowling lineup is likely to make a significant impact against the Stars. Ben Dwarshuis has been in excellent form this season, picking up 10 wickets in 5 matches. His record against the Stars is impressive with 21 wickets to his name.
If Abbott returns, the Sixers will gain additional firepower, as he has taken 19 wickets against the Stars in his career. The Melbourne Starsβ batting has heavily relied on Marcus Stoinis and Ben Duckett, making them vulnerable if early wickets fall.
With Dwarshuis leading the charge and support from other bowlers like Jackson Bird and Akeal Hosein, the Sixers' bowling attack is expected to dominate and play a key role in the outcome of the match.
