MELBOURNE R VS. MELBOURNE S: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, MATCH 45 | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In match 45 of the Australian T20 League 2020/21, Melbourne R take on Melbourne S at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Wednesday evening. This is the second Melbourne Derby of the season.
Melbourne R lost the first Melbourne derby of the season to the Stars by 6 wickets. This was their second consecutive loss and ninth loss overall in the tournament. The Renegades will have to give it their all in the second clash between the two teams.
S Harper’s 63 helped the Renegades post a total of 150. Despite the best efforts of K Richardson (2 for 24) with the ball, the total was not enough for the Renegades. Their batting has been very inconsistent and the bowling has also been a bit erratic at times.
Melbourne S won their second game in a row as they beat the Renegades comfortably in the last game. They are in third position in the points table with 23 points from their eleven games.
A solid all-round bowling effort by the Stars restricted the opponents to 150 runs. L Hatcher starred with the ball as he picked up 3 for 29. Both Z Khan and B Stanlake picked up 2 wickets each. M Stoinis and N Larkin scored 43 runs each and set the platform for the others to complete the chase in the final over.
A loss here will push the Renegades out of contention for the knockout stage. Expect this to be an exciting encounter as the Renegades battle it out on their home ground.
Match Details
- Match: Melbourne R vs. Melbourne S, Match 45
- Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
- Date & Time: Jan. 20, 2021, at 1:45 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
Melbourne R
- M Harvey, S Marsh, S Harper (WK), A Finch (C), J Fraser-McGurk, B Webster, I Wasim, J Prestwidge, K Richardson, P Hatzoglou, N Ahmed
- X-factor substitutes: W Sutherland, J Lalor
Melbourne S
- M Stoinis, A Fletcher, N Larkin, G Maxwell (C), N Maddinson, H Cartwright, S Gotch (WK), A Zampa, B Stanlake, Z Khan, S Rainbird
- X-factor substitutes: L Hatcher, L Morris
Weather and Pitch Report
The weather in Melbourne is expected to be clear during the match. The temperature will be around 25 degrees during the game.
Docklands is a good batting pitch and the batsmen should be able to score freely here. Pace bowlers will enjoy a little bit of movement with the new ball. Spinners should also be effective as the match progresses. The average first innings score in the five games played here last season has been 164 runs.
Since the wicket tends to slow down in the second innings, batting can get more difficult while chasing. Expect the captain winning the toss to opt to bat first. A first innings score of around 170 runs should be a competitive one here.
Key Players
- S Marsh has scored the most runs for the Renegades this season. He has made 271 runs in nine matches at an average of 30.11 and a strike rate of 134.15. He got a good start in the last game but could not convert it into a big innings. Expect him to perform well in this game.
- S Harper has been one of the best batsmen for the Renegades this season, scoring 236 runs in eleven matches at a strike rate of 117.41. He scored a brilliant 63 in the last game and will be an important player in the Renegades batting lineup.
- P Hatzoglou is the second-highest wicket taker for the Renegades this season, with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.62 and best figures of 3 for 43. He picked up one wicket in the last game and will look to take more wickets against the same opponents here.
- M Stoinis has been good at the top of the order for the Stars. He has scored 333 runs in ten matches at an average of 37 and a strike rate of 144.15. He scored a solid 43 in the last game and will look to play a match-winning innings in this contest.
- G Maxwell is the second-highest run scorer for the Stars this season, with 313 runs in eleven matches at an average of 34.66 and a strike rate of 145.11. He scored 20 runs and picked up one wicket in the last game against the Renegades. He will look to add to this tally in this match.
- Z Khan has looked threatening in the last two games since his comeback into the playing XI. He picked up 4 wickets at an economy rate of 7.05. His variations will come handy against the Renegades batting unit.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: S Harper
- Batsmen: S Marsh, M Harvey, N Larkin
- All-rounders: M Stoinis, G Maxwell
- Bowlers: K Richardson, P Hatzoglou, A Zampa, Z Khan, L Hatcher
- Captain: M Stoinis/Z Khan
- Vice Captain: S Marsh/P Hatzoglou
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and win cash prize. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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