MELBOURNE S VS. MELBOURNE R: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, MATCH 42 | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In match 42 of the Australian T20 League 2020/21, Melbourne S take on Melbourne R at the MCG in Melbourne on Sunday evening. It is termed the Melbourne Derby.
Melbourne S came back strongly after losing two matches in a row and beat the Adelaide S by a huge margin of 111 runs. This win put them back into contention for a spot in the knockout stage of the competition.
Thanks to A Fletcher’s superb innings of 89*, the Stars put a strong total of 179 runs in their 20 overs. The bowling unit then backed that up brilliantly as they dismissed the Strikers for only 68 runs, with A Zampa having outstanding figures of 5-17.
Melbourne R failed to build on their victory over Adelaide S and lost to Brisbane H in the last game by 5 wickets. This leaves them well rooted to the bottom of the points table with just two wins in their ten matches so far.
B Webster scored an unbeaten half century to help his side reach 149, which seemed to be a below-par total on a good surface. P Hatzoglou picked up 2 wickets but some poor fielding cost Melbourne R the match.
With the city bragging rights on the line, this promises to be an exciting encounter at the MCG.
Match Details
- Match: Melbourne S vs. Melbourne R, Match 42
- Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
- Date & Time: Jan. 17, 2021, at 1:45 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
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
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
Weather and Pitch Report
The weather in Melbourne is expected to be clear during the match. The temperature will be around 17 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the MCG is hard, consistently even, and has something in it for both the batsmen and the bowlers. The batsmen will have to be careful of the big long boundaries. Spin bowlers will get help from the pitch as the match progresses. The average first innings score in the five games played here has been 168 runs.
As evident from the last match, getting runs on the board first up is a big advantage. The team winning the toss is likely to bat first. A total of around 170 runs should be a competitive one.
Key Players
- M Stoinis has been consistent at the top of the order for the Stars. He has scored 290 runs in nine matches at an average of 36.25 and a strike rate of 145.72. He will like to make a big impact after he failed in the last game.
- G Maxwell is the highest run scorer for the Stars this season, with 292 runs in ten matches at an average of 36.5 and a strike rate of 148.97. He has picked up 6 wickets (2 for 12 in the last game) at an economy rate of 7.48.
- A Zampa is third on the list of most wickets in the competition so far. He has picked up17 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.88. He had his best figures of 5 for 17 in the last game at the same venue.
- S Marsh has scored the most runs for the Renegades this season. He has made 247 runs in eight matches at an average of 30.87 and a strike rate of 136.46. He looked a little rusty after coming from a break in the last game. Expect him to play a big innings here.
- S Harper is the second-highest run-scorer for the Renegades this season, with 173 runs in ten matches at a strike rate of 116.1. He has scored only one half century in the tournament and will look to add to that tally in this match against the city rivals.
- K Richardson is the highest wicket taker for the Renegades this season, with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.21 and the best figures of 3 for 22. He will look to pick up wickets against a strong Stars batting line up.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: S Harper
- Batsmen: N Larkin, N Maddinson, S Marsh, J Fraser McGurk
- All-rounders: M Stoinis, G Maxwell, I Wasim
- Bowlers: A Zampa, B Stanlake, K Richardson
- Captain: S Marsh/M Stoinis
- Vice Captain: K Richardson/A Zampa
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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