Deadline: December 27, 2019 at 1:40 PM IST
Venue: Carrara Oval, Queensland
Pitch report
If you pick your shots wisely at Carrara Oval, runs are easy to come by. Glenn Maxwell lived by this very rule, making sure he hits only through the line. The outcome was a magnificent innings of 83 off 89 including 7 fours and 5 sixes. Otherwise, the pitch will spell your doom if you try to be fancy with your strokes.
Probable XIs
Stars: Nic Maddinson, Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dunk, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Clint Hinchcliffe, Adam Zampa, Daniel Worrall, Haris Rauf, Sandeep Lamichhane
Strikers: Jake Weatherald, Philip Salt, Matthew Short, Alex Carey (c & wk), Jonathan Wells, Cameron White, Cameron Valente, Rashid Kham, Wes Agar, Harry Conway, Billy Stanlake
NOTE: Pick your fantasy cricket team wisely.
Match prediction
While Stars have won 2 in 2 games, the Strikers faced a defeat in their opening game. That being said, it is expected to be a thriller of a contest. The Stars boast of T20 specialists and the Strikers have smart players at their disposal. It all depends on how they hold their nerves.
Players to watch out for
You cannot keep the limelight off Marcus Stoinis for long. He may have looked out of sorts in the first match, but he knows he is the cynosure of the Stars’ batting, and made amends with 81* off 54 against the Hurricanes. Unlike the other hard-hitting openers of the format, he does not go after the bowlers right away. He assesses the situation and then designs his approach accordingly. With wickets losing at the other end, he decided to bat deep and punish only the balls pitched in his strong zone.
Glenn Maxwell is a different character than Stoinis, although both can power the ball into the orbit. This Maxwell, the one after a short break from cricket, is calm and decisive. He inhibits himself from playing uncharacteristic shots. This version of him, however, seems more dangerous. His 83 against the Heat is still the highlight of the season.
Stars have players who can take your breath away. We have already glorified Stoinis and Maxwell, but Haris Rauf deserves as much credit. In only his second match he managed to take a five-wicket haul. Pace, aggression, agility, swing, accuracy – he has got all the ingredients of a fearsome fast bowler.
Adam Zampa’s leg-spinners too have been taking the Stars out of the woods. He has taken 5 wickets at 11.8, maintaining an economy of 7.3. He has been a safe bet for fantasy players.
Had it not been for Rashid Khan‘s three-wicket haul, the Strikers would not have weathered the storm blown by the devastating duo of Josh Inglis and Liam Livingstone. Despite going for plenty in his first 2 overs, he managed to stop the carnage.
Ricky Ponting was in awe of Alex Carey’s timing on the off-side. Not many clear the covers boundary while rooted at the crease. The Strikers’ captain scored 100 runs with a strike rate of 50. However, at the top of the batting charts is the opener Jake Weatherald. His 125 runs have come at 62.5.
Also, get to know the tips & tricks on how to play fantasy cricket.