Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars Big Bash Tips: Stars may edge derby

• Stoinis still missing

• Marvel Stadium has been for batters

• Harvey could open again

Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars
Sunday 25 September, 00:00
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

Marcus Harris is out of the squad. That frees up an opening berth alongside Martin Guptill. Sam Harper may be promoted from No 3. Mackenzie Harvey can count himself a little unfortunate to have lost his place. He could come in the middle-order or be asked to open as it's a role he's fulfilled before

Probable XI: Guptill, Harper, Finch, Wells, Harvey, Critchley, Sutherland, Kellepotha, Rogers, Richardson, Fawad

There is still no Marcus Stoinis for Stars. His hamstring injury presumably puts his participation in the ILT20 in doubt, for which he was going to leave the Bash early.

Stars are a tricky side to decipher. They somehow managed a thrashing of Strikers last time out having fielded their weakest XI of the season. Trent Boult has, of course, departed.

Probable XI: Clarke, Rogers, Cartwright, Webster, Larkin, Seymour, Hinchcliffe, Coulter-Nile, Hatcher, Zampa

Pitch report

More than 170 has been busted 11 times in the last 18 at the Marvel Stadium. But it is a little dicey going overs on a par line because these are bowling teams. In others words, you trust the work they do in the field not what they do with the bat. They can be very hit or miss.

How to play

Renegades are 1.784/5 with Stars 2.285/4. That's a very short price about a home team which has lost its main threats in Akeal Hosein and Mujeeb Rahman. It's likely that with this XI they'd have a very similar record to Stars.

Reluctantly, Stars are value. We say reluctantly because they are a hard side to pin down but Renegades' player drain means they should be clsoer together. At the least they could trade as favourites, flipping these odds.

Tops value

We've had a winner on Harvey at 14s in this tournament so the 13/1 with Sportsbook that he top scores has to be noted. Jono Wells is consistently underrated and the 7/1 has appeal. Aaron Finch is 4/1 and it's unlikely he returns to the opening role. Joe Clarke has been boosted to 7/2 for top Stars bat.