There are few traditions in Australian sport like Boxing Day cricket, and this Friday, the SCG is hosting a blockbuster BBL|15 The match between Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars. It’s a battle of opposites: The Stars are flying high at the top of the table, aiming for a third consecutive win, while the Sixers are struggling to prove that their recent resurgence was no fluke.
Sixers are entering this Match 11 match with new confidence. After poor starts against the Scorchers and Strikers, he finished strongly in the Sydney derby. The demolition of Thunder by 47 runs was based on a batting masterclass from Josh Philippe and Babar Azam which saw them play a brilliant innings of 198 runs. However, it was Jack Edwards who proved that the Sixers were back in business by defeating the Thunder lineup with a spectacular layup.
Standing in their way is a star costume. They have been clinical so far, which was underlined by their recent demolition of the Strikers by six wickets. Their bowling attack was led by the pace and cleverness of Haris Rauf tom curranRestricted Adelaide to a sub-par 155. The target was easily chased down, as Marcus Stoinis and Sam Harper took the team to victory with six wickets to spare.
With the Sixers finding their groove and the Stars looking unstoppable, the SCG is set for a classic encounter.
SS vs MS, BBL|15: Match Details
- date and time: 26 December; 12:35 PM IST / 7:05 AM GMT / 6:05 PM local
- venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
ss vs ms, Head-to-head record in BBL
Matches played: 24 | Sydney Sixers won: 15 | Melbourne Stars won: 08 | No result/tied: 01
sydney cricket ground pitch report
The SCG rarely disappoints, generally offering a genuine contest between bat and ball rather than leaning too much to one side. For fast bowlers, there is usually some life in the pitch early on; The fast bowlers are expected to dictate terms with the new ball if they can find the initial movement.
However, batsmen who respect that initial spell will find the surface settling well. Once players have set their sights, the ball comes onto the bat well, ensuring full value for lightning fast outfield shots. As the ball becomes softer in the middle overs, spinners often come into play to control the pace. With the average first innings score being around 160, history suggests that the pitch plays best early on, making ‘batting first’ a possible strategy for the captain who wins the toss.
squads
Melbourne Stars: Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Campbell Callaway, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis (c), Hilton Cartwright, Thomas Fraser Rogers, Tom Curran, Mitchell Swepson, Haris Rauf, Peter Siddle, Liam Hatcher, Hamish McKenzie, Jonathan Merlo
Sydney Sixers: Daniel Hughes, Babar Azam, Josh Philippe (wk), Moises Henriques (c), Jack Edwards, Joel Davis, Jordan Silk, Ben Dwarshuis, Kane Richardson, Sean Abbott, Jaffer Chauhan, Ben Manenti, Lachlan Shaw, Jake Scott.
See also: Tom Curran completely destroys Jason Sangha’s stumps in BBL|15
ss vs msBBL|15: Prediction for today’s match
Case 1:
- Sydney Sixers won the toss and batted first
- Sydney Sixers Powerplay Score: 50-55 (6 overs)
- Sydney Sixers total score: 170-180
Case 2:
- Melbourne Stars won the toss and batted first
- Melbourne Stars Powerplay Score: 45-50 (6 overs)
- Melbourne Stars total score: 160-170
Match result: The team batting first wins the competition.
Also read: Ricky Ponting takes a dig at Cameron Green’s ₹25.20 crore IPL contract
