Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers Match Prediction, BBL 2020
The first team into the 2019-20 Big Bash League Final will be known when Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers go head-to-head in the Qualifier play-off. The match takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 31 and the live action starts at 19:15 local time.
The Stars finished top of the table with ten wins from their 14 matches, though they did lose momentum at the end of the group stage as they lost three consecutive matches. Nevertheless, with Marcus Stoinis topping the batting charts they can get back to winning ways in time to keep their title hopes on track.
Sydney Sixers finished second but they come into this game with all the momentum after three straight wins to finish the round-robin phase. That includes a win against the Stars at the SCG, but they lost heavily with Marcus Stoinis in record-breaking form when they last met in Melbourne.
Live streaming Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers
Live TV: Fox Sports, Seven Network, Sony Six, BT Sport, SuperSport, Sony Ten Network, BeIn Sports
Live streaming: SonyLiv, Kayo Sports, SuperSport Live, Foxtel Sports, Optus Sport
Toss Prediction
Sydney Sixers elected to field first when these teams last met at the MCG, but they may prefer to bat first this time around.
Weather Report
There is a small chance of showers later in the evening, but conditions in Melbourne will otherwise be hot and cloudy. Temperatures could be in the high 30s.
Pitch Condition
The MCG has generally been well-balanced – the batsmen thrived when these teams last met but there has been something in the wicket for the bowlers too.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds and match prediction for Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers, Qualifier, Big Bash League 2019-20.
Melbourne Stars Team News & Playing 11
SYS Team News
Sydney Sixers have been handed a selection boost with Sean Abbott available again after injury. It is a timely return to action, with in-form Tom Curran having departed for international duty with England. James Vince is not in the England squad, so he remains available.
SYS Key Players
Josh Philippe: Got back to his best at the end of the group stage with back-to-back half-centuries, hitting 52* against Brisbane Heat and 61 against the Renegades.
Steve Smith: After two big innings for Australia’s ODI team before making his long-awaited BBL return, Smith hit 66* in the win against Melbourne Renegades last time out.
Steve O’Keefe: Bowled tidily in the last two matches and got back among the wickets too. If he can keep the run-rate down, Sydney can hit back from their defeat at the MCG last time out.
SYS Team Form
Sydney Sixers ended the round-robin phase in resurgent form, winning their last three matches in a row. The run started with their win against Melbourne Stars as Moises Henriques starred in a rain-reduced match at Sydney, before a dominant eight-wicket win against Sydney Sixers.
They finished the group stage with Steve Smith (66*) and Josh Philippe (61) starring with the bat as they chased 176 to beat Melbourne Renegades by seven wickets.
Melbourne Stars Predicted Playing 11
Josh Philippe (wk), James Vince, Steve Smith, Moises Henriques (c), Dan Hughes, Jordan Silk, Steve O’Keefe, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Sean Abbott.
Sydney Sixers Team News & Playing 11
MLS Team News
Haris Rauf is back from international duty to bolster the Melbourne Stars’ line-up, while Dilbar Hussain retains his place with Sandeep Lamichhane unavailable. Hilton Cartwright misses out with a fractured hand.
MLS Key Players
Marcus Stoinis: His record-breaking innings when these teams last met was the peak of a superb season with the bat. He hammered 147* in that game and 62 when these teams last met.
Glenn Maxwell: The all-rounder is now 38 runs short of 6,000 in T20 cricket. He has a strike rate of 155.01 and has been in good form with bat and ball in this BBL 2019-20 tournament too.
Adam Zampa: Took 3-27 last time out to get back to his best bowling form, having led the Stars’ spin attack before his international call-up too.
MLS Team Form
Melbourne Stars won ten of their first 11 games to top the BBL table but they lost momentum at the end of the group stage with three straight defeats. That included a dismal batting collapse in their most recent match – folding for just 115 in 17.4 overs in reply to Brisbane’s 186/5.
Sydney Sixers Predicted Playing 11
Marcus Stoinis, Seb Gotch (wk), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clinton Hinchcliffe, Adam Zampa, Dilbar Hussain, Haris Rauf
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers Head to Head
Melbourne Stars have won seven of their 12 previous meetings against Sydney Sixers, including Marcus Stoinis starring when they last met at the MCG. Stoinis smashed 147* from 79 balls in a total of 219/1, and Sydney could only reach 175/7 in reply as Clinton Hinchcliffe claimed 3-20.
Sydney got some revenge last time they met, however – Moises Henriques scoring 72 from 31 balls as they scored 143/4 from 14 overs. In reply, Stoinis hit 62 from 37 balls but they could only post 125/5.
MLS vs SYS Head to Head Stats
Matches Played |
MLS Won |
SYS Won |
Tie |
No Result |
12 |
7 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers Betting Odds
Melbourne Stars might have topped the group, but the Sixers come into this match with momentum behind them – albeit, they will miss Tom Curran. The Sixers are narrow favourites with the bookmakers.
MLS Bet365 Odds
- MLS to Win the Match: Melbourne Stars are 1.95 outsiders to win with Bet365.
- MLS Top Batsman: Marcus Stoinis was in record-breaking form when these teams last met in Melbourne and led the Stars’ batting throughout. He is 3.00 favourite to be their top team batsman again, while Glenn Maxwell is 4.00 with Bet365. Nick Larkin and Peter Handscomb can both be backed at 5.00 with Bet365.
- MLS Top Bowler: Haris Rauf is back for the Melbourne Stars and he is 3.25 to be their top team bowler with Bet365. Adam Zampa can be backed at 4.00, while Nathan Coulter-Nile is 4.50. Both Clinton Hinchcliffe and Dilbar Hussain can be backed at 5.00 with Bet365.
SYS Bet365 Odds
- SYS to Win the Match: Sydney Sixers are 1.90 favourites to win with Bet365.
- SYS Top Batsman: Steve Smith is 3.50 favourite with Bet365 to be Sydney Sixers’ top team batsman after top-scoring in their most recent win. James Vince is 4.50 at the top of the order, as is back-in-form Josh Philippe. Moises Henriques, who starred when these teams last met, is 5.00.
- SYS Top Bowler: Sean Abbott’s return means he is 3.50 favourite to be Sydney Sixers’ top team bowler in the Qualifier with Bet365. Ben Dwarshuis is 4.00, while Josh Hazlewood can be backed at 4.50. Both Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe are 5.00 with Bet365.
🏆 Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers Prediction
Melbourne Stars’ form has dipped but they go into these play-offs as the league winners and Haris Rauf’s return is timely too. They can prove why they finished top by booking their final place.
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