Today at the WBBL: Stars look to extend lead at top as Hobart search for second win

Melbourne Stars can make it five wins in a row if they see off Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes can move closer to a top-four spot with a win

Who’s playing? 

Game one: Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers 

Game two: Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes 

As the WBBL enters the second half of the group stage, all teams will be looking to pick up wins wherever possible with all eight sides still in contention for a top-four finish and a place in the semi-finals. There are only three points separating fourth place and eighth place. 

Melbourne Stars are now the only unbeaten team in this year’s competition after Sydney Sixers were stunned by Perth Scorchers in the last round. 

Meg Lanning and her team will be looking to continue their good form. The captain is in magnificent touch herself, having scored back-to-back fifties. She is averaging 79 in the competition and there is no sign of the 28-year-old slowing down. 

Adelaide Strikers will be desperate to win this one. Having lost the reverse fixture by seven wickets and with the table being so tight, they’ll want to build a cushion between themselves and fifth-placed Perth Scorchers and consolidate their position in the top four. 

_{Stafanie Taylor scored a half-century in the last match against Melbourne Renegades}

Having won their last two matches, they are on a roll and certainly have the fire power to make it three in a row. Laura Wolvaardt and Stafanie Taylor have both been in the runs so far, with the latter scoring 60 against Melbourne Renegades in the last match. 

Melbourne Renegades will be wanting to pick up their second win of the tournament and lift themselves off the foot of the table when they take on Hobart Hurricanes.  

Both sides have yet to fire, but with Hurricanes’ Rachel Priest scoring an unbeaten 83 in their nail-biting encounter with Sydney Thunder, they’ll be confident that they can go one better this time around. 

Who to look out for? 

Melbourne Stars’ Nat Sciver has taken eight wickets in six matches so far this year. With a strike rate of 9.70, she claims wickets regularly – not giving batters much time to settle. 

Sciver is also more than useful with the bat. To go along with her eight wickets, she has 61 runs to her name with a top score off 33 not out against Perth Scorchers 

Hayley Matthews is one wicket behind Sciver. If Hurricanes are to beat Melbourne Renegades then Matthews will have to stand up and deliver. Matthews’ teammate Rachel Priest has also shown that she can be relied on with the bat when needed. 

_{Hayley Matthews has seven wickets in WBBL 06}

Predictions 

Melbourne Stars to edge out Adelaide Strikers 

Hobart Hurricanes to win a final over thriller against Melbourne Renegades 

Where can I watch? 

In Australia, Kayo Sports are showing all 59 matches through their streaming service. Remaining games are accessible either through Channel 7, Fox Cricket or cricket.com.au. 

UK broadcasters BT Sport 2 are showing both matches live. Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers will be live from 3.15am on Tuesday, followed by Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes from 8am.

Both matches will also be live on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra with coverage of Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers starting at 3.20am and Melbourne Renegades v Hobart Hurricanes live from 8am.

What’s the weather looking like? 

Sunshine and a moderate breeze with highs of 23 degrees should make for excellent cricket weather.