BIG BASH 2018/19 PREVIEW: Can the Melbourne Stars bounce back?

Ahead of the Big Bash 2018/19 season, The Cricketer previews the Melbourne Stars and looks at whether they can rebound from finishing bottom in the 2017/18 season...

Information:

Captain: Glenn Maxwell
Coach: Stephen Fleming
Overseas player: Sandeep Lamichhane, Dwayne Bravo
Titles: 0
17/18 Performance: Finished 8th (bottom)
Best-ever performance: Finished 2nd and then runners-up in 2015/16
In: Jackson Bird (Sixers), Dwyane Bravo (West Indies), Travis Dean (Renegades replacement), Sandeep Lamichane (Nepal), Nic Maddinson (Sixers), Jonathan Merlo
Out: James Faulkner (Hurricanes), Sam Harper (unsigned), John Hastings (Sixers), Kevin Pietersen (retired), Rob Quiney (retired), Luke Wright

Form:

The Stars endured an absolutely abysmal 2017/18 season. They finished rock-bottom of the points table having won just two of their matches, and most of the team that made up that squad have now departed. They were insipid with both bat and ball, and will be hoping the radical change in personnel can spur them on to perform at a far higher standard.

Star Player:

Glenn Maxwell

T20 Player Index Stats
Position: 2
Points: 859

It is something of a curiosity that Glenn Maxwell can be such a good T20 player, and yet have failed to win a single tournament over the past three years. In fact, despite being No.2 in the T20 Player Index, he has the worst win percentage of any player inside the top 15, having only won 44.8 per cent of his matches over the past three years.

Despite that, he has been inside the top three for the entire year because of his ability to rapidly score a lot of runs and take important wickets without going for a huge number of runs. It is strange that a player so good can have so little success, but it is bound to change soon. Surely?

^{Glenn Maxwell has not won a single T20 tournament over the past three years}

Biggest loss:

James Faulkner

Though he did not enjoy the best of seasons in 2017/18, Faulkner was still comparatively good for the Stars. He is a reliable wicket-taker, and contributes well with the bat down the order. He has left to join the Hobart Hurricanes, where he is now their star player.

The Stars are unlikely to feel his absence that keenly with Dwayne Bravo coming into the team, but Faulkner is the sort of player who makes any team he is in better - should he play as well as he can.

^{James Faulkner has joined the Hobart Hurricanes}

Something to prove:

Jonathan Merlo

Merlo was a key part of the Australia U19 side which made it to the final of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2018, both with bat and ball. He took five wickets at an average of 14.20, including a vital 4-24 in the semi-final against Afghanistan while also top-scored with the bat for Australia in the final - making 76 as they were beaten by India. This will be his debut Big Bash season, and he could be a player that helps make this a very different year for the Stars.

^{Jonathan Merlo is set to make his Big Bash debut with the Melbourne Stars}

Strengths:

The Stars bowling was generally very poor last year. John Hastings finished as their leading wicket-taker with 10, and the next highest was James Faulkner with six. Both have now left which might make one think that their bowling has got worse. However, they have brought in Dwayne Bravo, who took more wickets than both Hastings and Faulkner put together last year for the Renegades. With the addition of him and England fast bowler Liam Plunkett, their bowling could well become their strength in the coming season.

Weaknesses:

If the individuals which make up the Stars batting line-up perform as well as they can, then they should have a decent batting order. Glen Maxwell is a fantastic batsman while Marcus Stoinis is also a very capable player. However, having lost Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright, despite their relatively tame form last year, their batting order appears to be lacking the star power it once had.

Squad:

Michael Beer, Jackson Bird, Scott Boland, Liam Bowe, Dwayne Bravo, Jackson Coleman, Travis Dean, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Evan Gulbis, Peter Handscomb, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Merlo, Liam Plunkett, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa.

BIG BASH SQUADS

Prediction:

Group stage

Fixtures:

Dec 21: Sydney Thunder (A)
Dec 24: Hobart Hurricanes (A)
Dec 27: Sydney Sixers (A)
Jan 01: Melbourne Renegades (H)
Jan 05: Sydney Thunder (H)
Jan 09: Perth Scorchers (H)
Jan 11: Adelaide Strikers (A)
Jan 14: Hobart Hurricanes (H)
Jan 19: Melbourne Renegades (A)
Jan 23: Adelaide Strikers (H)
Jan 27: Brisbane Heat (H)
Feb 03: Perth Scorchers (A)
Feb 08: Brisbane Heat (A)
Feb 10: Sydney Sixers (H)

BIG BASH SCHEDULE