Big Bash League 2018-19: Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars – Match Preview
Dec 21, 2018 at 10:52 AM
In the third match of the eighth season of the Big Bash League, Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars will like to get off to good start. Both teams will be playing their first match of the season and would like to tick the right boxes. Both of these teams had finished in the bottom half of the points table and would aim to turn the tables in the BBL 2018-19.
Meanwhile, Shane Watson will hold the captaincy reins for the Sydney Thunder whereas Glenn Maxwell will lead Melbourne Stars troops. Watson was in fine form in the Indian Premier League and would like to come up with a similar kind of performance in the Big Bash League.
Both teams will like to get off the mark.
Watson had scored 331 runs in the previous season of the tournament and thus he was the fifth highest run-getter in the tournament. Consequently, the talisman all-rounder will like to repeat his previous season heroics. Moreover, Fawad Alam was the pick of the bowlers for the Sydney Thunder in the previous season as he had scalped 12 wickets in the season.
On the other hand, Glenn Maxwell also had a good previous season as he scored 299 runs in the nine matches he played. Hence, Maxwell will like to carry his form in the eighth season of the league. Moreover, Melbourne Stars is going to have the services of two talented leg-spinners in Sandeep Lamichanne and Adam Zampa. Zampa had well in the T20I series against India recently and would like to deliver the goods for his franchise.
Furthermore, Sydney Thunder is going have the services of two experienced England players. Jos Buttler can change the course of the game whereas Joe Root is going to provide solidarity in the middle order.
Date and Time: 21st December 2018, 1:45 PM IST.
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra.
Pitch Conditions: Canberra is expected to provide true bounce and pace to the bowlers. Furthermore, the batsmen will enjoy the ball coming on the bat.
Weather Conditions: The temperature is going to stay around 22 Degree Celsius. However, the match is expected to get hindered by passing showers. Ergo, the rains gods can play a killjoy.
Sydney Thunder (From): Jos Buttler(w), Shane Watson(c), Callum Ferguson, Joe Root, Chris Green, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Sam Rainbird, Daniel Sams, Fawad Ahmed, Jonathan Cook, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha.
Melbourne Stars (From): Nick Larkin, Travis Dean, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell(c), Evan Gulbis, Ben Dunk(w), Dwayne Bravo, Michael Beer, Scott Boland, Jackson Coleman, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lance Morris, Adam Zampa.