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MCG pitch tricky to call
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Siddle back for Strikers
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Stoinis missing again
Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers
Thursday 12 November, 08:15
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Team news
Bottom of the table Stars remain without the injured Marcus Stoinis. Trent Boult has departed. They are looking very thin on season-changing ability now.
Liam Hatcher came in for Boult and last season's breakthrough bowler, Brody Couch, remains a frustrated figure on the sidelines. James Seymour may be given a chance to open.
Possible XI: Clarke, Seymour, Rogers, Cartwright, Webster, Larkin, Coulter-Nile, Hinchcliffe, Wood, Hatcher, Zampa
Strikers must be frustrated. There is still no Travis Head and Alex Carey in their latest squad. It's strange considering Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne have both played for Heat. Peter Siddle's return from injury is a huge boost, however. Chris Lynn probably plays his last game.
Probable XI: Short, Gibson, Lynn, Hose, De Grandhomme, Kelly, Nielsen, Manenti, Siddle, W Agar, Thornton
Pitch report
There have been two matches so far at the 'G. They produced scores of 183 and 141. Six matches from ten last season in the Bash at the MCG produced scores of 160 or more in the first dig. Stars' woeful batting against a desperately weak Hobart attack mjeans an overs bet on the par line is unlikely. But if Strikers bat first more than 170 very much looks on given their belligerent form.
How to play
Strikers are 1.75/7 favourites with Stars 2.47/5. That has tio be right even though Strikers are below strength, waiting on Australia players to become available and Rashid Khan departed.
When Head and Carey are in the XI they are genuine title hopefuls in a sparse field. Only Sixers and Perth of the other teams can genuinely have aspirations.
Stars won the head-to-head earlier in the tournament but that was thanks to a Stoinis batting special. They have now lost three in a row.
Tops value
Seymour is an opener by trade and his 14-ball 20 against Hurricanes may be enough to try him in his preferred role. Sportsbook go 10/1. He did open towards the end of last season with some success and has batted as high as No 3 this term. With the ball, Wes Agar took a liking to Stars' line-up in the previous meet and the 4/1 about a pacer who ordinarily gets the death gig is not a bad shout.