Team news, key match-ups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, umpire appointments, start times, venue and squad lists for the 33rd game of BBL11
Melbourne Stars take on Melbourne Renegades in the 33rd game of the 2021-22 Big Bash.
The game is set for Monday, January 3. The first ball will be bowled at 7.15pm local time (8.15am GMT).
The game will be held at the MCG.
Melbourne Stars have endured a mixed first half of the 2021-22 Big Bash, winning three matches and losing four. Just one of those wins has come in their past four matches but a major Covid-19 outbreak within the camp can take some of the responsibility for their poor form.
As of January 2, the Stars had 10 players and eight support staff in isolation and were forced to field four emergency signings - Justin Avendano, Tom Rogers, Charlie Wakim and Xavier Crone - in their 50-run defeat against Perth Scorchers.
Melbourne Renegades, meanwhile, are rooted to the bottom of the table and their shocking form since lifting the title in BBL08 shows no sign of stopping. Over the past three seasons, the Renegades have won just eight matches from a possible 35.
Currently on a five-match losing streak, they have won one of their seven matches in BBL11. Their most recent match against Sydney Sixers was rained off, saving them from slipping to a likely sixth consecutive defeat.
Joe Clarke has been in strong form with the bat [Quinn Rooney/Getty Images]
With a depleted line-up once again on the cards for the Stars, they will be hoping that Joe Clarke continues his strong run of form. The Englishman has scored half-centuries in his past three outings, posting knocks of 52, 85 and 52.
Fortunately, the Renegades have struggled with the bat this season, passing 160 just once in six innings and being bowled out for less than 130 on two occasions. Therefore, if Clarke can reach fifty again and find support from one of Glenn Maxwell or Hilton Cartwight, the weakened Stars XI should be able to chase anything the Renegades throw at them or set an unreachable target.
With the ball, Haris Rauf took 2 for 40 against Perth Scorchers in his first appearance of the season and will feel confident of improving his both his wicket-taking stats and economy at the MCG. Sam Harper and Mackenzie Harvey are the only Renegades batters to score more than 100 runs in BBL 11 and if they can be removed early doors, the Stars will smell a batting collapse.
However, the Renegades may be boosted by the return of Shaun Marsh from injury. The 38-year-old has scored 2,196 runs at 41.43 in 61 BBL appearances and has a strike rate of 128.27 - a much-needed boost to their XI.
Darren Close and Donovan Koch are the men in the middle for this one.
Sunny conditions and temperatures hovering in the high teens are forecast for Melbourne.
Melbourne Stars: Qais Ahmad, Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke, Brody Couch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Sam Elliott, Syed Faridoun, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchcliffe, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Tom O’Connell, Sam Rainbird, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Adam Zampa, Haris Rauf (from December 27), Andre Russell (five games from December 10), Ahmed Daniyal (from December 10)
Melbourne Renegades: Cameron Boyce, Unmukt Chand, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Zahir Khan, Josh Lalor, Nic Maddinson (Jono Merlo), Shaun Marsh (James Seymour), Mohammad Nabi, James Pattinson, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Will Sutherland, Reece Topley
Sam Harper [Mike Owen/Getty Images]
Melbourne Stars: Joe Clarke, Tom Rogers, Glenn Maxwell, Charlie Wakim, Hilton Cartwright, Tom O'Connell, Justin Avendano, Xavier Crone, Qais Ahmad, Brody Couch, Haris Rauf
Melbourne Renegades: Sam Harper, Aaron Finch, Nic Maddinson, Mackenzie Harvey, Shaun Marsh, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mohammad Nabi, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Reece Topley, Zahir Khan
Coming soon.
Facing a depleted Melbourne Stars side, Melbourne Renegades have been handed a golden opportunity to end their horrid run of form. However, with Maxwell, Cartwright, Clarke, Rauf and Ahmad still in the mix, the Stars should back themselves to hang on.
Sky Sports have bought the rights for the competition through to 2025, and they will broadcast all 61 games in the UK.
Fox Sports and Seven Network both have television rights in Australia: subscription broadcaster Fox show every game, while free-to-air Seven will simulcast 45 matches.
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will have ball-by-ball radio coverage of the tournament for UK listeners.
Where can I watch the competition elsewhere in the world?
North America: Willow
MENA: beIN Sports
Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport
Indian Subcontinent: Sony
New Zealand: Sky Sport
BIG BASH TEAM GUIDES (open in external window in app)
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