Squads –
STA –
Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell(c), Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke(w), Samuel Elliott, Sam Rainbird, Adam Zampa, Syed Faridoun, Clint Hinchliffe, Tom O Connell, Brody Couch, Peter Nevill
THU –
Alex Hales, Alex Ross, Sam Billings, Jason Sangha, Matthew Gilkes(w), Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting, Chris Green(c), Chris Tremain, Jonathan Cook, Gurinder Sandhu, Baxter Holt, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Tanveer Sangha, Sam Whiteman
Team News –
STA –
– Melbourne Stars lost their 1st game against Sydney Sixers by massive margin of 152 runs. Team is looking strong in this game by arrivals of Stoinis, Russell and Coulter Nile.
– Team has declared a 15 member squad for their game which includes Andre Russell and Afghani Spinner Qais Ahmed.
– Nathan Coulter Nile is back in the squad while Marcus Stoinis who missed the 1st game is also all set the play his 1st game this season.
– Joe Clarke and Marcus Stoinis will open the innings. Clarke is coming after taking the English domestic by storm. Stoinis scored around 400 runs last season.
– Nick Larkin who was excellent in last season with a average of 39 and SR of 127 will bat 1 down.
– Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright will bat in middle followed by big Andre Russell. Russell is here after a successful Abu Dhabi T10 where he smashed 90 of just 32 balls.
– Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell and Afghani Spinner spinner Qais Ahmed will lead the spin attack.
– Sam Rainbird, B Couch, Nathan Coulter Nile and Andre Russell will lead the pace attack of team. Couch picked 2 Wickets in last game.
THU –
– Thunders started their BBL 2021 with a brilliant 7 wickets victory over Brisbane Heat. After loosing 3 wickets early their middle order consisting of Sam Billings and Alex Ross stood strong with a 100+ partnership winning it for the Thunders.
– Hales will open along with Sam Whiteman. Hales was top scorer of BBL last season and will look to continue his form this year as well. Whiteman played for the scorchers last season. Both were out cheaply last game.
– Matthew Gilkes will bat at 1 down. Gilkes is a average batsman, scored 20 off 10 balls in last game and will keep the Wickets.
– Sam Billings will bat at 2 down followed by Alex Ross. Billings has has continued from where he left last season, he scored 45 while Alex Ross a brilliant 61 of 46 balls.
– Ben Cutting and Daniel Sams will do the Allrounder duties. Both will be very important with bat as well as bowl.
– Chris Green, Tanveer Sangha will lead the spin attack of Sydney. Jono Cook if plays will join them.
– Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting, Nathan McAndrew and Gurinder Sandhu will lead the pace bowling of team.
Probable XI –
STA –
Marcus Stoinis, Joe Clarke, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell(c), Hilton Cartwright/Beau Webster, Andre Russell, Sam Rainbird, Adam Zampa, Qais Ahmed, B Couch, Nathan Coulter Nile
THU –
Alex Hales, Sam Whiteman, M Gilkes, Sam Billings, Alex Ross, Ben Cutting, Daniel Sams, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green (c), Tanveer Sangha, Gurinder Sandhu
Pitch Report –
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
This wicket at MCG has favoured the bowlers especially spinners a lot, the ground is big so spinner should enjoy bowling here.
Team Blueprint –
WK –
Joe Clarke( Open, RHB + wk, 2300+ t20 runs with SR of 155, out on 1last game )
Sam Billings(2 down, RHB + wk, very important player in SL, 260 runs in 10 innings last season, 46* last game, Must )
Seb Gotch( Middle order, RHB, average player with average of 17 and SR of 107 in t20s )
BAT –
Marcus Stoinis( Open, RHB + Right Arm medium fast, no intro needed, 359 runs in 9 innings with a average of 40 against Thunders, Must have )
Alex Hales( Open, RHB, highest scorer of BBL last season, SR of 162 in BBL, out on duck last game, Must have)
Alex Ross( 3 down, RHB, 116 runs in just 4 games with a SR of 134 against Stars, 61*(46b) last game)
Beau Webster( Middle order/open, RHB + off spin, 760 runs in 35 t20 innings, can strike the ball big )
Nick Larkin ( 1 down, RHB, was good last season with 276 runs in 10 games, out on 1 last game )
Sam Whiteman( Open, LHB, playes bit slow but can play big, 622 t20 runs in 42 games, 11 runs last game )
ALL –
Glenn Maxwell( 2 down, RHB + off spin, in his best form, 513 runs in 14 innings this IPL, 1w + 4 runs last game, ,Must have)
Andre Russell ( Middle order, RHB + medium pacer, has been bowling in death in IPL as well as Abu Dhabi T10, Must have any day )
Daniel Sams( RHB + left arm medium fast, very important Allrounder of team, will bowl in death + can be promoted to bat, 3 Wickets last game)
Ben Cutting( RHB + Right Arm medium, powerful hitter of ball, bowls very less nowadays, 280 runs + 4w last season)
Chris Green( Off spin + RHB, wicket taking option, guaranteed 4 overs, 13 Wickets in 8 games against Stars, wicketless in last game )
Hilton Cartwright( Middle order, 239 runs last season + 2 wickets in 6 overs, can be good in GL )
C Hinchliffe( Left arm wrist spin, 11 Wickets in 18 t20s, cannot consider as a Allrounder)
BOWL –
Nathan Coulter Nile( Right Arm medium fast, international experience, 11 Wickets in 6 games last season, Must have, will bowl in death )
Adam Zampa( Leggie, Australia’s premium spinner, 13 wickets in 7 games in T20 World Cup 2021, 16 wickets in 10 games against Thunders, Must have)
Sam Rainbird( Left arm medium fast, 14 Wickets in 19 T20 games , 1w last game but very expensive)
Gurinder Sandhu (Right Arm Fast medium, very good with his swing and seam, 5 Wickets in 7 games against Melbourne Stars, 2 wickets last game)
Tanveer Sangha( Leg spin, wicket taking bowler, highest wicket taker of team last season with 21 scalps in 15 games, 1w last game, Must )
Nathan McAndrew( Right Arm Fast medium, hit the deck bowler, has good variations at death, 15 Wickets in 13 games last season, 2 wickets last game)
Chris Tremain( Right Arm medium fast, can swing the ball both ways, not bowling in death nowadays, 46 t20 Wickets in 52 games )
Jono Cook ( Leg spin, not much important option to consider, 3 wickets in 3 games last season, good in GL )
B Couch( Right Arm Fast, can bowl upto 140ks, 4 Wickets in practice game, 2 wickets in last game)
Syed Faridoun ( Left arm wrist spin, young talented spinner from Pakistan, not selected in the squad )
C/VC Options –
STA –
Glenn Maxwell
Marcus Stoinis
Andre Russell
THU –
Alex Hales
Daniel Sams
Ben Cutting