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The 2020-21 edition of the Big Bash League continues with a double-header on Saturday, as the Melbourne Stars take on the Sydney Thunder in the first match of the day.
The Melbourne Stars began their season on Friday by comfortably dispatching the Brisbane Heat. They will now be aiming to make it two wins in as many days as they go up against the Sydney Thunder.
The Callum Ferguson-led Sydney Thunder will be playing their first game of the season on Saturday. The fixture will be a repeat of last season's 'Challenger', which saw the Stars beat the Thunder to qualify for the BBL final.
The Thunder have made several impressive acquisitions ahead of the season, bringing in the likes of Ben Cutting, Adam Milne and Sam Billings. However, the latter will not be available till Boxing Day.
Glenn Maxwell will once again lead the Melbourne Stars while Andre Fletcher and Marcus Stoinis will be aiming to find their form after being dismissed cheaply in the first game.
Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa and Dilbar Hussain impressed with the ball for the Stars in the opener and should retain their spots in the team. Nicholas Pooran remains out for the Stars, but the Thunder will have the majority of their squad available ahead of the game.
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder match details
Date: December 12, 2020 (Saturday)
Time: 10:35 AM IST/ 4:05 PM Local Time
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder weather forecast
With the game taking place in the afternoon, the teams will be met by clear and sunny weather for the entirety of the contest. The temperature is set to be in the 18-20 degrees Celsius range.
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder pitch report
The game between the Melbourne Stars and the Brisbane Heat on Friday certainly offered a lot of help to the bowlers. They were also helped by some poor decision making from the batsmen.
As Glenn Maxwell showed during the game, there are runs on offer on the Manuka Oval pitch. Fans should be in for quite a contest between bat and ball on Saturday.
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder predicted XIs
Melbourne Stars
Predicted XI: Marcus Stoinis, Andre Fletcher, Hilton Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell, Nick Larkin, Seb Gotch (WK), Clint Hinchliffe, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa, Dilbar Hussain, Billy Stanlake
Sydney Thunder
Predicted XI: Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Callum Ferguson, Matt Gilkes, Alex Ross, Ben Cutting, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Adam Milne, Chris Tremain, Jono Cook
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder match prediction
The Melbourne Stars showed their class with a dominant win over the Brisbane Heat in their season opener. They will go into this game with momentum and form on their side.
The Sydney Thunder could be a bit green, as they have not played in the tournament yet. However, they have the quality to make the game a tough contest.
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder TV and live streaming details
TV: Sony Sports Network
Live streaming: Sony Liv
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