Can Stars cope when Australia inevitably come calling?

MEN'S BIG BASH LEAGUE PREVIEW - MELBOURNE STARS: Glenn Maxwell is in line to return to action but making the most of Dale Steyn will be vital

The Cricketer | 10/12/2019 at 16:29

Coach: David Hussey

Captain: Glenn Maxwell

Overseas players: Sandeep Lamichhane (Afghanistan), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Pat Brown (England)

Australia national team players: Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Last season: Runners-up

How did they do last season?

Fell at the last hurdle for the second time in four years as their wait for a maiden crown continues. Finished in the top four partly due to the no result between Heat and Thunder. Won one of their last three games to secure progress where they overcame the Hurricanes with relative ease before being unable to chase down 146 to win the final.

BIG BASH 2019-20 FIXTURES: Full schedule, timetable, dates for BBL09

Key players?

Sandeep Lamichhane: One of the best players around from outside of cricket's traditional top table. The 19-year-old truly burst on the global scene in 2018, applying his trade in several franchise tournaments including the Indian Premier League. He is rapidly approaching a century of T20 appearances - surely the first of many milestones in this leg-spinner's career to come.

Glenn Maxwell: While the allrounder no longer appears to harbour Test ambitions, his availability for the Stars comes under a cloud. He took a break from the sport in October to deal with mental health issues, earning praise for drawing public attention to such problems. Hopefully refreshed, it goes without saying the impact he could make in this format.

Dale Steyn: Though only available for the opening six matches of the competition before being replaced by Pat Brown, it is quite the coup for Maxwell to have the South African in his armoury. Status as one of the top wicket-takers in the ongoing Mzansi Super League proves he will arrive in Australia at the top of his game, with the landmark of 250 domestic T20 scalps on the horizon.

steyn101201-min

^{Dale Steyn will hope to give Stars a dream start to the competition}

Strengths

Plenty of jack-of-all-trades cricketers gives them a real edge over their opponents. Good depth in the spin ranks too with Adam Zampa and Lamichhane, while Steyn offers a real X-factor.

Weaknesses

Plenty of those allrounders could end up departing for Australia's matches in India in January, which could rob them of the core of their first XI. And having tasted failure in recent years, ensuring they are physiologically over such tribulations is also key.

England involvement

Though New Zealand didn't always fall for Pat Brown's knuckle balls, plenty of franchises across the world have taken a punt on the Worcestershire seamer. This will be his toughest test yet on pitches where he could be taken apart. It might be a learning experience, as much as anything.

Squad: Pat Brown, Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Merlo, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Dale Steyn, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa