WBBL08 match preview: Melbourne Stars v Sydney Sixers

Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2022 Weber WBBL

What's the match?

Melbourne Stars take on Sydney Sixers in match 40 of the WBBL; the eighth edition of the tournament.

When is it taking place?

The game is scheduled to start at 1.40pm local time (2.40am BST) on Saturday, November 12.

Where is the match being played?

The game will be played in Melbourne at the Junction Oval.

Who's got the form?

Sydney Sixers are currently second in the table, one point behind Brisbane Heat but with a game in hand. Under Charlotte Edwards, the Sixers have been in fine form, stringing together three consecutive wins on two occasions. However, they head into this clash without a win since November 2 after losing to Perth Scorchers and having their encounter with Melbourne Renegades rained off.

Melbourne Stars, meanwhile, lie sixth, with two wins from eight matches - both of which have come in their past four outings. They are five points outside the top four but have games in hand over every side in the competition.

Ashleigh Gardner has been the standout performer for the Sixers, scoring 152 runs at a strike rate of 139.44 and taking a team-leading 14 wickets. However, with Ellyse Perry, Erin Burns and Suzie Bates all scoring in excess of 200 runs and Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Cheatle and Maitlan Brown picking up a combined 36 wickets, they have no shortage of match winners.

For Melbourne Stars, Tess Flintoff lit up the competition with a blistering half-century off 16 deliveries against Adelaide Strikers while Lauren Winfield-Hill and Annabel Sutherland are the other options for runs. Sutherland has also picked up a team-leading 11 wickets.

When the two sides met earlier in the competition, Sydney Sixers won by 27 runs.

^{Ashleigh Gardner has been Sydney Sixers' standout player [Sarah Reed/Getty Images]}

What's the key match-up?

Stars' fortunes in this match will likely hinge on how well they play spin duo Gardner and Ecclestone.

The pair have taken a combined 27 wickets in WBBL08, with Ecclestone conceding 5.78 runs per over and Gardner 5.85.

And when these two sides met in October, both players impressed. Ecclestone picked up 1 for 16 from her four overs, bowling 15 dot balls and conceding just two boundaries as well as removing England teammate Winfield-Hill. Gardner, meanwhile, took 2 for 19, accounting for Alice Capsey and Kim Garth, and did not concede a single boundary.

What's the weather forecast?

The damp conditions which are set to hit Melbourne on Friday should have cleared by Saturday morning, leaving behind cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-teens.

What is the team news?

Neither side have any fresh injury or availability concerns. This will, however, be Jemimah Rodrigues' final appearance for the Stars before she returns to India.

^{Jemimah Rodrigues will make her final appearance for the Stars before returning to India [Paul Kane/Getty Images]}

What are the squads?

Melbourne Stars: Sophie Molineux, Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer (unavailable - personal reasons, replaced by Paris Bowdler), Ella Hayward, Shabnim Ismail, Harmanpreet Kaur (injured, partially replaced by Eve Jones, permanently replaced by Chamari Atapattu), Carly Leeson, Hayley Matthews, Rhiann O’Donnell, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Georgia Prestwidge, Erica Kershaw

Sydney Sixers: Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Sophie Devine (c), Maddy Green, Marizanne Kapp, Alana King, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Holly Ferling, Amy Edgar, Maddy Darke, Georgia Wyllie, Charis Bekker

What are the possible starting XIs?

Melbourne Stars: Lauren Winfield-Hill, Jemimah Rodrigues, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland, Kim Garth, Tess Flintoff, Nicole Faltum, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Day

Sydney Sixers: Alyssa Healy, Suzie Bates, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Erin Burns, Nicole Bolton, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Peterson, Angelina Genford, Lauren Cheatle, Jade Allen

What are the odds?

Sydney Sixers, the favourites, are available at 4/11 while Melbourne Stars are available at 5/2.

What's the prediction?

While Melbourne Stars are on an upward trajectory, a Sydney Sixers side packed with match winners should prove a step too far. Sixers win.

Are tickets available?

Yes. Adult tickets are $20 while child tickets (1-17) are free. Tickets for the double header (also featuring Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers) are available via Ticketek.

Where can I watch the game?

Sky Sports holds the UK rights for the WBBL. This game will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.

In Australia, fans will be able to watch all 59 matches in the WBBL live and free on either the Seven Network or cricket.com.au

A total of 24 games will be televised on free-to-air on Seven and simulcast on Foxtel and Kayo, while the remaining 35 games will be shown on Foxtel and Kayo Sports and also live-streamed for free on cricket.com.au.