Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

BBL09 Match 48: AS vs MS Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AS vs MS Dream11 Today | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars Preview Dream11 Prediction | Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars Key Players | AS vs MS Dream11 Prediction Today

As the regular season nears its end, the Australian ODI players return as seven of the eight teams remain in contention for the BBL09 Title.

Two of those teams, Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars, welcome back talent from India. Alex Carey, such an important player in Australia’s ODI plans, returns to a team that struck close to 200 in their last game. Adam Zampa and Peter Handscomb return for the Stars, with the former engaged in battles with some of the finest white-ball players this generation has seen.

Up until Sydney Sixers beat Melbourne Stars two nights ago, Adelaide Strikers were the only team to have beaten the Stars in BBL09. Can they do so again?

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Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Alex Carey has 134 runs in three knocks vs Stars, averaging 67.
• Adam Zampa also returns for this clash, coming off an impressive series against India where he had a great battle with Virat Kohli.
• However, Zampa will be out to improve his record vs Strikers with the ball (4 games, 1 wicket, avg. 99.00).
• Travis Head scored 79 (40) last game vs Hurricanes, and is a key player for the Strikers if they are to go far in BBL09.
• Jono Wells has had a campaign to remember. He scored 68* (46) vs Stars earlier in BBL09, part of 351 runs at an average of 70.20 in the tournament.
• Marcus Stoinis is 136 runs in front of the next highest run-scorer in BBL09: Shaun Marsh. He is coming off 62 (37) vs Sixers.
• Also, Stoinis has 176 runs in five knocks vs Strikers.
• Glenn Maxwell has a similar record to Stoinis vs Strikers, but strikes at 168.89 in six knocks (169 runs). Also, Maxwell scored 62 (28) in his last game at Adelaide Oval.
• Hilton Cartwright’s last five knocks in BBL09: 35, 59, 19, 58*, 21.
• Jake Weatherald averages just 13.60 in five innings vs Stars. However, his last five scores in Adelaide read: 83, 52, 47, 27, 33*.
• Rashid Khan’s battle with the Stars’ batsmen could be crucial to the outcome. He has an economy rate of just 6.00 in four games vs Stars, along with four wickets.
• Rashid’s battle with Sandeep Lamichhane could also prove crucial. Lamichhane has eight wickets in his past five games, with at least one wicket taken in each of those matches.
• Wes Agar took four wickets in his last game, vs Hurricanes. Peter Siddle took 3/24 vs Stars earlier this season.

Head-to-Head

• Matches 10, Strikers 5, Stars 5.
• Adelaide Strikers beat Melbourne Stars by five runs in Cararra earlier this season. Peter Siddle was terrific at the death.

Possible Playing 11

Alex Carey returns to the Strikers team, and will slot in at either three or four.

Adelaide Strikers: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jake Weatherald, 3. Travis Head (c), 4. Alex Carey (wk), 5. Jono Wells, 6. Matthew Short, 7. Michael Neser, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Peter Siddle, 10. Wes Agar, 11. Liam O’Connor

Melbourne Stars welcome back Peter Handscomb (who should replace Gotch) and Adam Zampa.

Melbourne Stars: 1. Hilton Cartwright, 2. Marcus Stoinis, 3. Nic Maddinson, 4. Nick Larkin, 5. Glenn Maxwell (c), 6. Peter Handscomb (wk), 7. Clint Hinchliffe, 8. Daniel Worrall, 9. Adam Zampa, 10. Lance Morris, 11. Sandeep Lamichhane

Adelaide Oval Pitch Report and Conditions

Adelaide Oval has played host to some low-scoring games in recent times. Against the Sixers, Strikers crawled to 135, which they very nearly defended. Two games later, they bowled the Heat out for 100.

In both these games, it was the spinners who had a big say. Rashid Khan took a hat-trick vs Sixers and Liam O’Connor was Player of the Match vs Heat.

The forecast for Adelaide is a maximum of 26 degrees and no rain.

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Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

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• Pros and cons of Dream11’s deadline decision

Match Prediction

Toss of the coin; an extremely difficult game to pick.

Adelaide Strikers have been in good form of late, and can certainly challenge the Stars. However, with the likes of Adam Zampa back, the Stars might just come away with a win.

This has the makings for a fine T20 match.

Thanks for reading!

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