Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

BBL09 Match 13: MS vs AS Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BBL09 Match Prediction Today | Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers Prediction Today | Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers Key Players | MS vs AS Dream11 Prediction

Four days after pulling off victory from the jaws of defeat, Adelaide Strikers travel to Gold Coast for a duel with arguably BBL09’s form team so far.

Melbourne Stars, on the back of two comfortable victories, have made an excellent start to the tournament. Their bowling has been superb, and now they welcome the great Dale Steyn for his BBL debut.

One can only hope for a strong crowd in the Gold Coast for this Friday night, with a number of T20 stars on show.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Dale Steyn has arrived. He has a big role to play replacing the excellent Haris Rauf. Steyn has 246 wickets in 209 T20 matches.
• Marcus Stoinis took advantage of some early luck to hit form in the last game. He is coming off an unbeaten 81 off 54 balls.
• Stoinis is also the current highest scorer in Stars-Strikers matches (143 at an average of 35.75).
• Alex Carey has 89 runs in two matches vs the Stars: 59 and 30*. He too is coming off a superb 55 off 24 balls vs the Scorchers.
• Jake Weatherald has a poor record vs Stars (47 runs in four matches). But, he needs 10 runs to go back to the top of the BBL09 run-scoring charts. His 83 off 47 balls last game was magnificent.
• Glenn Maxwell vs Strikers: 124 runs in five innings (average 31 and SR 167). Also, he hit a superb 83 off 39 in Carrara earlier this year.
• Nic Maddinson looked in excellent touch last game for his 40.
• Adam Zampa is wicketless in three games vs Strikers. But, he has five wickets in two games in BBL09.
• Harry Conway: Surprise packet of the Aussie summer? He has taken big wickets in Shield cricket, and is coming off 2/32 last match.
• Rashid Khan could be in the wickets as the likes of Peter Siddle and Harry Conway (if picked) could exercise some control.

Head-to-Head

• Matches 9, Stars 5, Strikers 4.
• Melbourne Stars won the last meeting comfortably at Moe last season.

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Key to a Melbourne Stars win

The Stars’ batting, while steady, hasn’t quite fully fired yet in BBL09. Two scores in the 160s have been enough to get victory so far this tournament, but with the talent in their side, they would know that a little more is needed. Can the likes of Stoinis, Maddinson and Maxwell fire to get 170-180+?

Also, the Stars welcome Dale Steyn and Nathan Coulter-Nile. Both wicket-takers in T20 cricket, Steyn and Coulter-Nile can lead the way for the wrist-spinners to build further pressure against a Strikers team that needs Jake Weatherald and Alex Carey to deliver.

Key to an Adelaide Strikers win

Can Phil Salt make his mark in BBL? His poor start to the campaign has ramped the pressure on the likes of Weatherald, Carey and Wells to deliver to get a good score. If Salt can deliver a good start, the experienced players in the Strikers lineup can be even more dangerous.

Also, Peter Siddle returns after being released from the Test squad. He can provide important control to a Strikers’ attack that went the distance in the first half of the innings against the Scorchers the other day, with Rashid Khan also a crucial member of the attack.

Possible Playing 11

Nathan Coulter-Nile and Dale Steyn have been added into the Stars squad. Daniel Worrall or Clint Hinchliffe could drop out of the XI. Also, the Stars need to settle on a batting line up – Handscomb at three?

Melbourne Stars: 1. Nic Maddinson, 2. Marcus Stoinis, 3. Peter Handscomb (wk), 4. Glenn Maxwell (c), 5. Ben Dunk, 6. Hilton Cartwright, 7. Nathan Coulter-Nile, 8. Dale Steyn, 9. Adam Zampa, 10. Sandeep Lamichhane, 11. Daniel Worrall

Peter Siddle has been granted a release from the Australia Test squad. He is in line to play in this match.

Adelaide Strikers: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jake Weatherald, 3. Matt Short, 4. Alex Carey (c & wk), 5. Jono Wells, 6. Cameron White, 7. Cameron Valente, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Peter Siddle, 10. Wes Agar/Harry Conway, 11. Billy Stanlake

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Carrara Pitch Report and Conditions

The forecast at Gold Coast looks pleasant for the evening after a couple of morning showers. In regards to the pitch, the game between Stars and Heat earlier this seasons saw Maxwell and Tom Banton play beautifully in an otherwise low-scoring match. A good pitch should be expected.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

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Match Prediction

A good, interesting game in store.

Melbourne Stars to continue their good start to BBL09? They certainly have the team to do so.

Thanks for reading!

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