BBL 7, Match 30, Preview: Stars and Sixers look to build on the late found momentum

Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers both walked into their previous games in a desperate situation as neither of them had any points in their tally with the tournament already half finished. One more loss would have ended their campaigns, but they managed to turn it around as both of them secured a victory and held onto a slim chance of qualifying for the knockouts. However, one victory is not going to help them much and they need a bit of a winning run from here.

The Stars had their superstar Kevin Pietersen delivering for them last night in the Melbourne derby as the 37-year-old absolutely smashed the Renegades bowling. After being a little cautious for the first couple of overs, Pietersen imposed himself on the opposition attack and played some gorgeous strokes on both sides of the ground. He, however, lost his wicket at a wrong time for the Stars.

Glenn Maxwell made sure the Renegades couldn’t capitalise on that breakthrough as he maintained the same tempo and found those boundaries in the last few overs of the innings to guide his team to a total which proved to be a match-winning one at the end. Apart from batting, the fielding of the Stars was top class too in the game as they held onto some remarkable catches in the infield.

As far as the Sixers are concerned, they were also up against their local opponents Thunder who had beaten them in a close encounter at the start of the tournament and they managed to avenge that loss in style with an 8-wicket victory. The pressure that the Sixers created with the ball right from the very outset, the Thunder couldn’t quite come out of it at any stage and on a batting paradise where the par score was around 175-180, all they could get was 156 which was never going to be challenging for the Sixers.

However, the ease with which the Sixers chased it down would have given them a lot of confidence. Joe Denly and Daniel Hughes ripped the bowlers apart at the top of the order and then Nic Maddinson chipped in as well with a couple of big shots at the end to take the team over the finishing line. They couldn’t have asked for a better performance from themselves after 6 consecutive losses, but they will want to back that win with another win against the Stars tomorrow.

Predicted XI (BBL 2017-18, Matchc-30)

Melbourne Stars: Peter Handscomb, Ben Dunk, Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell, Seb Gotch, James Faulkner, Evan Gulbis, John Hastings, Jackson Coleman, Daniel Worrall, Daniel Fallins

Sydney Sixers: Joe Denly, Daniel Hughes, Nic Maddinson, Moises Henriques, Jordan Silk, Carlos Brathwaite, Johan Botha, Peter Nevill, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Lyon