We have a double header of action in the Big Bash League on Friday and it begins at the Junction Oval in Melbourne as the Melbourne Stars take on the Perth Scorchers in what is the third match of the season for both teams.
Both teams have played two matches this season and they have a win and a loss to their name each. Whoever wins this one will head into Christmas sitting in third place in the table which is a decent incentive.
Melbourne Stars
The Melbourne Stars’ season has been a very stop-start one so far. They competed in the first game of the campaign and here we are 10 days later and this will only be the second time they have been on the field since then so they could be forgiven for thinking that their season hasn’t really got going yet. Despite that, they will know they should be going into this one with two wins under their belt but could actually have two losses on their ledger.
Melbourne Stars probably should have got over the line in their opening game despite a mess with the bat and then they did win their second one although had Joe Clarke been caught on one rather than be allowed to go on and score a century they could easily have lost that so there are fine margins deciding the outcome of Stars matches at the minute and they will be looking for a much more complete and convincing display as well as a positive result here.
Perth Scorchers
The defending champions have been a little hit and miss in their title defence so far. They had an excellent win against the Sydney Sixers in their opening match but then came up short against the Hobart Hurricanes in their second game. There were positives and negatives in those opening matches but the one thing we know about the Scorchers is over the course of a whole campaign it is hard to keep them quiet for long periods.
In both of their matches the Scorchers’ bowling has been very solid. They have rotated their attack depending on the conditions and been able to bowl very well so that is very much a positive. To be fair this almost decade of success for the Scorchers has largely been built on the quality of their bowling unit. The one thing they would like to see is their top three or four score a few more runs and set the innings up better to make things even more comfortable throughout the majority of the match.
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Key Players
Joe Clarke made a brilliant century in the last match for the Melbourne Stars and against this tough Scorchers bowling unit if he can get the home side off to a positive start then it might put the pressure on enough for the Stars to shine.
Jhye Richardson has started this tournament on fire with seven wickets in his first two games. If he can fire at the top of the innings and break through the Stars’ top order, Perth might find the resistance against them isn’t that strong.
Betting
The sixes line for this match ranges between 9.5 and 11.5 and I’m happy to take the over on the lower end of that because this isn’t the Melbourne Cricket Ground, this is the Junction Oval where the boundaries are a lot shorter and accessible. This is just the second time the Big Bash has been held at this ground, although it regularly hosts the women’s competition. The first game was also between these two last season.
Perth made 180/8 and won by 50 runs on that occasion and there were 11 sixes in that match despite the Melbourne Stars only making 130. That was a Covid impacted Stars side though and even with Glenn Maxwell injured they are going to be a lot stronger in this outing. Perth probably have a stronger look with the bat as well so I see no reason why that sixes total will be emulated and even bettered but at the very worst we can get into double figures. The over is the play here.
Tips
Back Over 9.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
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