20th Match Preview: Sydney Thunder vs. Melbourne Stars

20th Match Preview: Sydney Thunder vs. Melbourne Stars

Both Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars lurk mid-table with nothing much to write home about but as they lock heads at Queensland on Saturday, both would aim to make a surge that would keep them in the hunt in the latter half of the tournament. The last time these two sides met, rain played spoilsport as Sydney Thunder sneaked in a 15-run win by DLS method.

Conditions are expected to aid batting and a high-scoring game is on the cards but the pitch could be a tad on the slower side which could bring spinners and dibbly-dobbly all-rounders into play. The likes of Daniel Sams are expected to thrive on the wicket.

Conditions: Batting pitch with dew expected to help the chasing side later in the day.

Player Recommendations:


Wicket-keeper: Jos Buttler (10.5 points)

Buttler leads the run charts and a hard ground half-century last week should further prep him up for this contest. The England keeper played some uncanny shots with utter brilliance in the fixture against Perth Scorchers and could be a great pick in your fantasy side. He can take the game way early on at Queensland and is a potential captain in your side.

Batsman: Shane Watson (10 points)

Watson is an impact player and the fact that he hasn't quite clicked combined with his calibre should make him an automatic in your fantasy league for this match atleast. The conditions are aligned in his favour and the former Aussie all-rounder should make a biggie at

Both Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars lurk mid-table with nothing much to write home about but as they lock heads at Queensland on Saturday, both would aim to make a surge that would keep them in the hunt in the latter half of the tournament. The last time these two sides met, rain played spoilsport as Sydney Thunder sneaked in a 15-run win by DLS method.

Conditions are expected to aid batting and a high-scoring game is on the cards but the pitch could be a tad on the slower side which could bring spinners and dibbly-dobbly all-rounders into play. The likes of Daniel Sams are expected to thrive on the wicket.

Conditions: Batting pitch with dew expected to help the chasing side later in the day.

Player Recommendations:


Wicket-keeper: Jos Buttler (10.5 points)

Buttler leads the run charts and a hard ground half-century last week should further prep him up for this contest. The England keeper played some uncanny shots with utter brilliance in the fixture against Perth Scorchers and could be a great pick in your fantasy side. He can take the game way early on at Queensland and is a potential captain in your side.

Batsman: Shane Watson (10 points)

Watson is an impact player and the fact that he hasn't quite clicked combined with his calibre should make him an automatic in your fantasy league for this match atleast. The conditions are aligned in his favour and the former Aussie all-rounder should make a biggie at Queensland on Saturday.

All-rounder: Daniel Sams (9 points)

Daniel Sams has been good with the ball his variations in pace could be a handful on this surface at the Carrara Oval. Coming in after the power-play overs, Sams ability to read match situations and bowl cleverly makes him an enticing fantasy pick. Forget his batting, he should be in the fantasy team for his bowling alone.

Captain: Shane Watson

Vice-captain: Jos Buttler

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rohit Sankar
A cricket enthusiast striving to convey the finer details of the game in a capsule. Rohit hopes to present a bird's eye view of the game. He has written for a handful of prestigious websites including Cricbuzz, The Independent, The Hindu, CricketNext, Firstpost and others.
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