SYD vs MLS Match Preview
Hayden Kerr and Jordan Silk have been pretty solid for the Sixers in the middle order and are two of the highest scorers in the squad. The top-order batsmen seemed to struggle a bit in the opening matches but seem to have struck some form in the last match.
The opening pair of Josh Philippe and Kurtis Patterson put together a 68-run partnership against the Hurricanes and laid the foundation for their victory. Captain Moises Henriques has been dismissed for a golden duck in each of the last two matches, and he will be hoping to get some runs in this match.
The bowling effort of the Sixers has been pretty average too. Sean Abbott is the leading wicket-taker with 6 wickets but the other bowlers seemed to struggle quite a bit. Jonathan Bird and Izharulhaq Naveed have bowled well in patches but lack consistency.
The Stars’ bowling was taken to the cleaners by the Perth Scorchers in their last match, as the latter put up a massive score of 229. Luke Wood picked up 5 wickets but was pretty expensive, giving away 50 runs from his 4 overs. Wood is currently 3rd on the list of top wicket-takers for this season. Adam Zampa and Nathan Coulter-Nile have picked up 5 wickets each but they too have been quite expensive. Joe Clarke looked in sublime form as he scored the first century of this season in the match against Hobart Hurricanes and led the Stars to a 38-run win.
Beau Webster and Tim Rogers have got some decent starts so far but have failed to convert them into big innings.
Weather Report
The weather is expected to be slightly overcast and humid but there is hardly any chance of rain. The temperature will remain in the mid-20s.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the SCG is pretty flat and great to bat on. The average first innings score here is around 165 but the teams will be looking to put up a target of closer to 200 to give the bowlers some leeway. However, as the match progresses, we will see the spinners come into action and they will get some turn as the pitch slows down.
Notable stats
Hayden Kerr’s Excellent Batting Average
Kerr has been a great asset for the Sixers ever since his debut in 2019. In the last 10 matches, Hayden has scored 214 runs at an average of 53.57 and a strike rate of 145.57.
Team News
Both teams are expected to go ahead with a similar eleven that took the field in the last match.
SYD vs MLS Probable 11
SYD Playing 11
- Josh Philippe (Wk)
- Kurtis Patterson
- James Vince
- Moises Henriques (C)
- Jordan Silk
- Daniel Christian
- Hayden Kerr
- Sean Abbott
- Steeve OKeefe
- Naveen ul Haq
- Todd Murphy
MLS Playing 11
- Joe Clarke (Wk)
- Thomas Rogers
- Beau Webster
- Marcus Stoinis
- Hilton Cartwright
- Nick Larkin
- Campbell Kellaway
- Luke Wood
- Nathan Coulter Nile
- Trent Boult
- Adam Zampa (C)
Dream11 Prediction
The Sixers have historically enjoyed an upper hand against the Stars. However, the former hasn’t been off to the best of starts and is looking a bit rusty at this stage in all departments of the game. The Stars themselves haven’t been consistent too, but their bowling looks up to the mark and is likely to ask tough questions of the home team. We are therefore backing the Stars to win this one.
Top Picks
Joe Clarke: The wicket-keeper batsman has started the season on a great note, scoring a century against the Hurricanes. His average for the last 9 matches is 43.25 and he has scored 346 runs at a strike rate of 151.75.
Beau Webster: Webster is a reliable all-rounder within the Melbourne Stars’ squad. In 3 matches this season, Webster has scored 71 runs and has also picked up 2 wickets.
Sean Abbott: The veteran international seamer is always the go-to option for any captain in crunch situations. He has picked up 6 wickets so far in 3 matches and has a bowling strike rate of 11.00.
SYD vs MLS Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: J Clarke (C), J Philippe
Batters: H Cartwright, M Henriques, J Silk
All-rounders: B Webster, S Abbott, H Kerr
Bowlers: A Zampa (VC), L Wood, N Coulter-Nile
