Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash Tips: Stars rising but Renegades reeling

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades
Saturday 4 January, 08:15
TV: live on Sky Sports

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash team news

Stars are on the board and it is thanks to the surprise addition of Dan Lawrence. The England man did something that Ben Duckett and Olli Pope have failed to do and got his team home in a chase with 64 from 38 against Heat. Hamish McKenzie and Tom Curran are both injured.

Probable Stars XI: Duckett, Rogers, Harper, Lawrence, Stoinis, Maxwell, Cartwright, Usama, Steketee, Paris, Siddle

Renegades have taken Fergus O'Neill out of the squad for Xavier Crone. Crone, a quick, has been in good touch in Shield cricket with ball and bat. O'Neill managed only one over in defeat by Strikers so it it appears to be enforced.

Possible Renegades XI: Brown, Fraser-McGurk, Seifert, Bethell, Evans, Harvey, Sutherland, T Rogers, Crone, Zampa, Richardson

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash pitch report

In the last 25 night matches at the MCG, 16 have been won by the team fielding first. That is a hefty toss bias. More than 160 has been busted just three times in the last 11 so it wouldn't be advisable to expect a run glut. Given Renegades' run rate is just 7.7 this term they are the more likely sell.

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash match prediction

Renegades have been a major disappointment this term given the calibre of players in the squad. But two wins in five may be indicative of squad churn. As soon as the going gets tough, players move on to think about the next challenge.

Why do the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jacob Bethell and Laurie Evans need to scrap and battle when in a week they could be off to SAT20 and ILT20? Where is the incentive? Renegades could collapse from here and with Stars enjoying the toss bias they are fair favs at 1.875/6.

Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash player bets

Here's an interesting price. Tom Rogers, the Stars opener, at 6/17.00 for top bat? it's one of the biggest for an opener you will ever see. And it is a bet on win rate but only by the odd point. He is in tricky form, though. Hilton Cartwright is overdue a score but is disappearing down the order. We might have a small stake at 14/115.00 in case he can get upped. By contrast Glenn Maxwell is 5s but batting only a place higher.

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