Big Bash League 2024-25 – Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes Tips and Betting Preview

The Big Bash League regular season comes to a close on Sunday when the last game is played out and it is a massive one for the Melbourne Stars as they welcome the table topping Hobart Hurricanes to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Hobart Hurricanes know that they will be hosting Qualifier 1 on Tuesday regardless of what happens here but this is basically a knockout match before the finals for the Stars who must win to go to Sydney for the Knockout. Anything else and their season is done.

Melbourne Stars

The bad thing for the Melbourne Stars is they have slipped from fourth spot to sixth spot over the weekend but the good thing is that they go into their final match knowing that if they win it they are in the finals. When you consider that they lost their opening five matches of this season to even be in with a chance going into the final round of matches would have been a pipedream at that point let alone have their destiny in their own hands.

The issue that the Stars could have here is that they are without two key cogs in the batting order with Dan Lawrence and Ben Duckett now a thing of the past. They are going to leave a couple of pretty big holes in the batting order and it will be interesting to see if there is anyone to fill those spots. The Stars’ bowling hasn’t really been fantastic at any stage in the competition but the home side do at least know what is on the line here so they shouldn’t have any muddled thinking.

Hobart Hurricanes

This has been the best season that the Hobart Hurricanes have put together and they know that they will have home advantage in the Qualifier 1 match next week and should they win that then the final will go through Hobart as well. In many ways this match is an inconvenience for the Hurricanes because they have nothing that they can possibly gain from it other than to perhaps get anyone who isn’t confident or in form to have time at the crease and find it.

I thought going into the season that the Hurricanes were going to be a batter light at the very least but the powerful hitters in this side have come to the party throughout the campaign and Hobart cruised into the finals as a result. We’ll find out a little bit about just how hungry they are here because if they win a match which to all intents and purposes is a dead rubber for them then it shows that they have a strong winning mentality and could be hard to beat in the finals.


Special Offer

Open a new Sporting Index account and bet £10 on the tournament (min odds 1/2) to get £20 in free bets (2x£10 free bets) to use on any sports market! Click the image below to take advantage of this great offer! 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Responsibly.


Key Players

Given the two English overseas players have left it is hard to see the Melbourne Stars extending their season if Glenn Maxwell doesn’t go big with the bat. It will be interesting to see if they move him up the order to allow him to make the biggest impact.

Mitch Owen has been brutal with the bat in this tournament and in the last game he came up with the goods with the ball too. If he turns into an elite all-rounder then he will balance this Hobart side nicely and make them very tough to beat.

Betting

I get that this is one of those situations where the Melbourne Stars have to win and the Hobart Hurricanes don’t have to but I still can’t see why the Hurricanes are odds against to win this match. While the Stars have to win, they might be shorthanded when you consider that Dan Lawrence and Ben Duckett and that is a lot of runs to find. It isn’t like the Stars have a brilliant bowling unit to overcome it with so other than form, and they aren’t better than Hobart in that department, I don’t really like the home side here.

I guess there is the chance for the Hurricanes to make some changes for this match but they have named a strong 14 man squad for this match and are talking about getting Ben McDermott and Chris Jordan back into the side for this one ahead of the finals on Tuesday. Hobart are getting away to good starts, finishing innings brilliantly well and they have a bowling attack which is getting the job done in all places. They just feel overpriced to me despite the game state.

Tips

Back Hobart Hurricanes to beat Melbourne Stars for a 3/10 stake at 2.05 with Unibet