The Sydney Thunder take on the Melbourne Stars in match 10 of the Big Bash League at the Sydney Showground Stadium, on 12th December.

The Sydney Thunder have won one of their two matches in the tournament so far, having beaten the Brisbane Heat in their tournament opener. They were beaten by the Melbourne Stars in their second game.

Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, and Nathan McAndrew were impressive with the ball in hand. Sam Billings and Alex Ross ensured that the Thunder got over the line without much trouble. The Thunder lost a close encounter to the Stars, losing by four runs.

Bowling first, the Thunder restricted the Stars to a modest 165-run total. Tanveer Sangha (2/29) and Nathan McAndrew (1/27) were the stars with the ball in hand. Despite efforts from Sam Billings (31-ball 43) and Matthew Gilkes (49-ball 56), the Thunder failed to breach the target. Alex Ross and Ben Cutting played crucial cameos.

The Stars suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Sydney Sixers in their tournament-opener. Bowling first, the bowlers failed to stem the flow of runs. While Brody Couch, Glenn Maxwell, and Sam Rainbird were among the wickets, the Sixers still managed to score at a steady run rate.

None of the batters were able to find their mojo in what was a batting paradise, as the Stars were bundled out for a paltry 61-run total. The Stars made a great comeback in their second game as they inched past the Thunder by four runs.

Batting first, the Stars registered a par 165-run total. Nick Larkin (43-ball 52) and Hilton Cartwright (30-ball 42) played crucial roles with the bat in hand. Andre Russell provided a powerful finish at the end, scoring a nine-ball 17 helping the Stars reach a desirable total.

Nathan Coulter-Nile was impressive with the ball in hand with figures of 2/27. Adam Zampa, Qais Ahmed, and Brody Couch claimed a wicket each and ensured that the Thunder innings did not gather momentum. Zampa bowled a crucial last over, defending 11 runs he gave away only six runs.

SYDNEY THUNDER VS MELBOURNE STARS MATCH DETAILS:

Match: Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars, Match 10 BBL 2021-22 Stars
Date: 12th December 2021
Time: 1:45 PM IST
Venue: Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney

SYDNEY THUNDER VS MELBOURNE STARS PITCH REPORT

The surface at the Sydney Showground is a good cricketing surface, however, it is expected to assist the bowlers more than the batters. The batters need to choose their shots wisely and capitalize on the stars that they get. The team that wins the toss will look to chase on this surface, while the team batting first will look to close in on the 160-run mark.

SYDNEY THUNDER VS MELBOURNE STARS WEATHER REPORT

Partly cloudy skies are expected to be a feature of match day. Temperatures are expected to range between 13 and 20 degrees Celsius. No rain interruptions are expected throughout the day.

SYDNEY THUNDER VS MELBOURNE STARS PROBABLE XIS

SYDNEY THUNDER

• Alex Hales
• Sam Whiteman
• Matthew Gilkes
• Sam Billings (wk)
• Alex Ross
• Daniel Sams
• Nathan McAndrew
• Ben Cutting
• Chris Green
• Tanveer Sangha
• Gurinder Sandhu.

MELBOURNE STARS 

• Marcus Stoinis
• Joe Clarke (wk)
• Glenn Maxwell (c)
• Nick Larkin
• Hilton Cartwright
• Andre Russell
• Beau Webster
• Nathan Coulter-Nile
• Qais Ahmed
• Adam Zampa
• Brody Couch.

PROBABLE TOP PERFORMERS

MARCUS STOINIS- MELBOURNE STARS

Marcus Stoinis is one of the all-time leading run-scorers for the Stars in the BBL. He has been a stalwart for his team at the top of the order. In the first game, he scored only 13 runs. But keeping in mind the quality he possesses, he is expected to stage a comeback.

TANVEER SANGHA- SYDNEY THUNDER

Tanveer Sangha has been a genuine wicket-taker for the Thunder in the two seasons he has taken part in. In two matches, the leg-spinner has picked up three wickets at an excellent economy rate of 7.28. If he finds his mojo, the Stars’ batters could find themselves in trouble.

SYDNEY THUNDER VS MELBOURNE STARS MATCH PREDICTION

With their entire squad back, the Stars look like a formidable set-up. The Stars are favorites to finish on top in this encounter. Sydney Thunder is not to be written off easily. Much will depend on the bowling line-up of the Thunder and their ability to restrict the Stars batters to a chaseable total.

Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars TV and Live Streaming Details:

TV: Sony Sports Network