The Big Bash League returns on Boxing Day and it does so with a heavyweight tussle between the champions Perth Scorchers and the nearly men of seasons past in the Melbourne Stars at the WACA Ground.
The Scorchers got their campaign off to a winning start when they defeated the Sydney Sixers while the Melbourne Stars went down to the Brisbane Heat in their first match so both sides will want the points here.
Perth Scorchers
This will be the first home match of the campaign for the Perth Scorchers after they travelled to Sydney for their opening match of the season. Despite all the injuries they had going into that match they came out on top courtesy of a big individual performance with the bat and they are going to need them as they go along.
While the batting looked a little light on paper heading to the SCG, the bowling attack certainly didn’t and Andrew Tye’s hat trick was a highlight of what was yet another stellar performance with the ball in hand from the Scorchers. You would think they are going to improve for the run which makes them dangerous here.
Melbourne Stars
Not for the first time in Big Bash League history the Melbourne Stars lost their opening match of the campaign. If you look purely at the scorecard then you would say they pushed the Brisbane Heat close in that first game but that was not the case. Had it not been for a great innings by Marcus Stoinis they would have been well beaten.
Usually we see improvement from the Stars after they drop their opening match and they are certainly going to need that here, especially with the ball where they were surprisingly poor in Brisbane. Some of the deliveries they sent down in the second half of the innings was cannon fodder which they can’t afford here.
Team News
The big news for the Perth Scorchers is that Michael Klinger has been named in the squad despite the situation at home with his wife. Shaun Marsh, Cameron Bancroft and Mitch Marsh are all with Australia.
Kevin Pietersen will miss the match for the Melbourne Stars as he has gone home for Christmas. Peter Handscomb has been released by Australia to feature while Dan Worrall is also in the squad for the game.
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Betting
I like the Perth Scorchers here. I think they are a huge price on their own wicket, which we saw in the Test match recently has its pace and bounce back. That should see the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff’s eyes light up and they should be unable to wait to get stuck in.
Melbourne Stars will probably improve but without Pietersen they look a batsman light even with Handscomb back and if they serve up the same dross they sent down with the ball in Brisbane then Perth will win this easily. Whether they do or they don’t I want to be with the better bowling attack. That’s the Perth one here.
Tips
WON – Back Perth Scorchers to beat Melbourne Stars for a 4/10 stake at 2.38 with Bet365
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