The ICC T20 World Cup may have rolled out of town, but short-form cricket is just getting started for the summer down under!
BBL12 kicks off with the two teams in green on Tuesday night, as the Sydney Thunder take on the Melbourne Stars in Canberra. It's going to be a massive two months for Big Bash League fans and we'll have free previews for every BBL12 match this summer
Josh Nevett opens the batting as he brings us his full match preview and BBL12 betting tips for Thunder vs Stars!
BBL12 Thunder vs Stars Preview & Betting Tips
Manuka Oval, Tuesday 13th December, 7:15pm (AEDT)
Sydney Thunder
Predicted XI: Alex Hales, Matthew Gilkes, Rilee Rossouw, Jason Sangha, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green, Gurinder Sandhu, Fazalhaq Farooqi
The Sydney Thunder will set out to challenge the best this season, entering BBL12 with a revitalised squad full of star power.
Alex Hales comes into the tournament high on confidence after blasting 212 runs in the T20 World Cup, while Rossouw is similarly acclimatised to Aussie conditions after hitting a century for South Africa.
Looking at the teamsheet there are all-rounders aplenty in the middle order – Sams, Cutting and McAndrew all offer quality seam bowling as well power-hitting with the bat.
As such, I expect the Thunder to produce some huge totals this season. However, it’s worth noting that their bowling attack is not the strongest.
Notable absentees from the team for Round 1 are David Warner (test duty) and Tanveer Sangha (injured), while Sams is in doubt having missed a chunk of cricket recently and any details of his injury cloud are hard to find.
Melbourne Stars
Predicted XI: Joe Clarke, Hilton Cartwright, Nick Larkin, Marcus Stoinis, Joe Burns, Beau Webster, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brody Couch, Luke Wood, Trent Boult, Adam Zampa
Like the Thunder, the Stars will be hoping for an improved campaign in 2022-23 after finishing sixth last time around.
The talent available on the bowling front suggests that is possible – Trent Boult is a huge inclusion and arguably the best of the internationals, while Adam Zampa is a reliable performer at this level.
However, if you look at Melbourne’s batting depth it becomes apparent that they face an uphill battle.
Glenn Maxwell will miss the opening rounds of the tournament as he recovers from a grisly leg injury, so the pressure will be heaped on seasoned stars Joe Clarke and Marcus Stoinis to score big runs.
Aside from those two, one of Cartwright, Larkin, Burns and Webster will have to play out of their skin for the Stars to bank wins early.
As such, I’m predicting a tough campaign for the Stars in which they may well go backward, which hurts to say as a Victorian.
Match Prediction
This shapes up as an interesting opening encounter, with each team possessing very different strengths.
The Thunder have versatility and scoring power on their side, while the Stars will look to restrict teams to protect their weak batting line-up.
Without many indicators of form, I believe that Sydney simply have too much talent on paper, and Melbourne will struggle to produce the runs required to challenge them.
Therefore, I’m on the Thunder in the season opener.
Sydney Thunder to win
$1.80 (1 unit)
BBL12 Same Game Multi
With Hales and Rossouw in their top three, Sydney are likely to pile on the hurt during the opening power play this season. If one of those two, or Gilkes, can get going on Tuesday, they should be too powerful for the Stars top order.
Building on the previous tip, the Thunder look to have more muscle right through their batting order. It won’t just be Hales and Rossouw clearing the fence, as I expect Sams and Cutting to also get in on the action at some point. When I look at the Stars team, Stoinis and Cartwright appear the most likely six hitters.
Trent Boult is a world-class signing for the Stars. The Kiwi left-armer brings experience, skill and tactical nous to the bowling attack, and I fully expect him to take plenty of wickets in his stint down under. Thankfully, we have recent data for Boult on Australian soil – he took eight wickets in five World Cup matches. He claims at least one scalp on Tuesday.
Highest Score After Over 6 – Sydney Thunder
Most Sixes – Sydney Thunder
Trent Boult – To Take a Wicket
BBL12 Promotion at Picklebet
The team at Picklebet have a fun BBL12 promo that you might like to check out.
You can get odds of $3.00 for a team to hit either a six or lose a wicket in their opening over of the innings. Knowing how many fireworks usually explode early in BBL matches, this seems like some decent value, especially in tonight's match between the Thunder and the Stars. Alex Hales is a renowned six-hitter for the Thunder, while Marcus Stoinis might be a chance to open for the Stars. If Daniel Sams takes the new ball, then he's certainly a chance for an early wicket also!
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