Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Stars BBL Semi-Final Prediction

HBH Team News

Australian test captain Tim Paine did not feature in the final group stage match despite being released by Cricket Australia, and the Hurricanes are therefore likely to opt for the same batting line-up - with Caleb Jewell selected - for the semi-finals. Teenage leg-spinner Qais Ahmad is set to continue, having been flown out to replace Johan Botha, while James Faulkner will return after taking a precautionary two-game rest due to a knee injury. David Moody could be the man to make way.

HBH Key Players

Hobart Hurricanes' success in the league stage of BBL 2018-19 season was built around their opening partnership with D'Arcy Short and Matthew Wade both scoring plenty of runs. Short's high score of 96 not out came in the win against Melbourne Stars at the MCG, while Wade scored well in both matches.

In total, they both hit six half-centuries in their 14 league games, with Short just ahead on the run-scoring list with 602 to Wade's 590. Short has also taken two wickets in each of the last two matches.

George Bailey proved his form last time out, meanwhile, when he scored 53 in the defeat to Sydney Thunder. He now has 326 runs from 11 innings, including three half-centuries.

With the ball, James Faulkner's return is a huge boost. He has taken 18 wickets in 12 matches as well as scoring some useful late-order runs. Jofra Archer has taken 17 in 14 games, including 3-25 in the first win against the Stars in the league stage, while Riley Meredith has 16 in 12 games. Meredith took 4-21 when these two teams last met.

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Hobart won ten of their 14 matches in the league phase, including both matches against Melbourne Stars, but they did lose three of their final five matches - including their most recent game against Sydney Thunder. On that occasion, George Bailey scored 53 in a total of 165/4 in a game reduced to 19 overs apiece. In reply, Qais Ahmad and D'Arcy Short both took two wickets apiece but the Thunder got home to win by four wickets with four balls to spare.

The Hurricanes also lost to the Sydney Sixers, at the start of their stuttering finale to the league stage. On that occasion, Matthew Wade hit 64 and the Hurricanes 172/4 in total, but they lost by nine wickets in 17.1 overs.

D'Arcy Short (68*) and Caleb Jewell (61*) led them to a nine-wicket win against Brisbane Heat next up, however - chasing 146 to win in just 14.2 overs.Inconsistent has been the key word, however, as they lost to Adelaide Strikers next up - failing to defend a total of 169/7 powered by Wade's 54-ball 88; the Hurricanes lost by seven wickets with 13 balls to spare. In between their last two defeats they did beat Melbourne Renegades, however. On that occasion, Another Wade half-century helped them to 183/6, before wickets for Jofra Archer, Short and Ahmad helped them to a 16-run win.