Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat Prediction

MLS Team News

With the quartet of Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa all available again, Melbourne Stars have been unchanged for their last two games and could stick with the same, winning line-up for a third game in a row against Brisbane Heat. If there is a change, it is likely to be Scott Boland – back from playing for the Cricket Australia XI but overlooked last time out – in place of Tom O’Connell, who did not bowl against the Adelaide Strikers.

MLS Key Players

If Marcus Stoinis’ importance to this team was not already known, he has proved it with three wickets in each of his two games since coming back – taking 3-19 and 3-20 on his return from the Australian ODI squad. His unbeaten 70 against the Melbourne Renegades was followed by 52 opening the batting, meanwhile. He now has 234 runs and ten wickets in his last four matches in Big Bash League 2018-19.

Stoinis shared a 113-run opening partnership with Ben Dunk, who finished 72 not out from 53 balls. Dunk previously scored 102 runs in the three games the Australian internationals missed – providing a small highlight in an otherwise frustrating three games for the Stars.

Of the other players back, Peter Handscomb scored 151 runs in the three ODIs for Australia against India, and added 36 for the Stars against Adelaide last time out. Glenn Maxwell’s big hitting in this format is well known, meanwhile – he has a strike rate of 156.57 in T20 cricket.

Away from the Aussie internationals, Liam Plunkett claimed 3-21 last time out after 2-21 in the Victoria derby. He has 11 wickets from six appearances in total. Fellow overseas player Dwayne Bravo took 3-22 against Adelaide, meanwhile, and has 13 from ten games in total.

MLS Team Form

After losing all three matches they played without their international quartet, Melbourne Stars have got back on track with two wins in a row. A score of 146/6 was below par against Perth Scorchers – losing by six wickets with 14 balls to spare – and they were bowled out for 137 by Adelaide Strikers and 126 against Hobart Hurricanes in their next two games.

The internationals were back for the Victoria derby, however. Marcus Stoinis claimed 3-19 as the Melbourne Renegades were bowled out for 121 and then top-scored with an unbeaten 70 as he led the Stars to a six-wicket win.

And Stoinis was an all-round star last time out too. He took 3-20, while Liam Plunkett claimed 3-21 and Dwayne Bravo 3-22 as Adelaide Strikers were bowled out for 123 in reply to 167/2. Earlier, Stoinis had hit 53 and shared a 113-run opening stand with Ben Dunk (72*).