Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers, BBLT20, Today Match Prediction 13 December 2023

MLS vs PRS Match Prediction & Analysis

Any fixture at the MCG is an event in itself and this clash on Wednesday evening sees two teams looking for their first win of this campaign going head to head.

Melbourne Stars have problems with their form and also with injuries. Very few pundits are giving them any chance of getting a positive result against Perth Scorchers who are targeting their third successive BBL title.

However, it has already been an unusual season for the Scorchers who had lost both of their openers before the umpires came together and decided the pitch was unplayable in Geelong on Sunday.

Can Melbourne Stars turn the form book on its head? We'll soon find out!

RECENT PERFORMANCE

MLS

L L L L L

BH

214/3 in 20.0 10.7

BBLT20

Brisbane Heat beat Melbourne Stars by 103 runs 07 Dec 2023

MLS

111/10 in 15.1 7.32

MLS

119/7 in 20.0 5.95

BBL T20 2022

Sydney Thunder won by 3 wkts

25 Jan 2023

SYT

120/7 in 18.5 6.37

BH

188/4 in 20.0 9.4

BBL T20 2022

Brisbane Heat won by 4 runs

22 Jan 2023

MLS

184/3 in 20.0 9.2

MLS

159/7 in 20.0 7.95

BBL T20 2022

Brisbane Heat won by 3 wkts

16 Jan 2023

BH

160/7 in 20.0 8

MLR

162/7 in 20.0 8.1

BBL T20 2022

14 Jan 2023

MLS

156/7 in 20.0 7.8

PRS

W W W W W

PRS

178/5 in 19.2 9.21

BBL T20 2022

Perth Scorchers win by 5 wickets

04 Feb 2023

BH

175/7 in 20.0 8.75

PRS

154/3 in 18.3 8.32

BBL T20 2022

Perth Scorchers won by 7 wickets

28 Jan 2023

SYS

151/8 in 20.0 7.55

PRS

212/5 in 20.0 10.6

BBL T20 2022

Scorchers won by 10 runs

22 Jan 2023

MLR

202/5 in 20.0 10.1

ADS

92/10 in 17.0 5.41

BBL T20 2022

Perth Scorchers won by 7 wkts

20 Jan 2023

PRS

94/3 in 11.1 8.42

PRS

147/3 in 17.3 8.4

BBL T20 2022

18 Jan 2023

HBH

146/9 in 20.0 7.3

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Melbourne Stars Preview

Injuries to bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile and captain Glenn Maxwell mean that Melbourne Stars, already low on confidence after last season's performance and their 103-run defeat against Brisbane Heat, will arrive at the 'G with the squad lacking self-belief.

However, the Stars will turn their form around one day, and the arrival of Pakistan paceman Haris Rauf could be just the man to help this happen. We expect him to team up with Mark Steketee on new ball duties before Liam Dawson tries to prove the England Test selectors wrong with his reliable and accurate left-arm spin.

In Maxwell's absence, there is additional pressure on the likes of Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis to deliver with the bat.

Melbourne Stars Predicted Playing XI:

Thomas Rogers, Sam Harper (wk), Beau Webster (c), Marcus Stoinis, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Burns, Liam Dawson, Usama Mir, Joel Paris, Haris Rauf, Mark Steketee

Melbourne Stars Actual Playing XI:

Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Joel Paris, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Nick Larkin, Sam Harper, Hilton Cartwright, Liam Dawson, Jonathan Merlo, Thomas Fraser Rogers

Perth Scorchers Preview

The Scorchers are unlikely to have England's Zak Crawley available for this game as he has only recently arrived in Australia after a disappointing ODI tour of the Caribbean which saw him make only 3 runs combined from his last two innings.

With Mitch Marsh and Lance Morris away on international preparation duty for the First Test versus Pakistan, Perth will look towards Aaron Hardie, last season's leading run scorer, and Josh Inglis, fresh from impressing in the Cricket World Cup and hitting a century during the T20I series, for the majority of their runs.

The bowling attack has been one of Perth Scorchers' main strengths over recent seasons and the three wise pacers - Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson - are likely to enjoy bowling on this MCG surface.

Perth Scorchers Predicted Playing XI:

Stephen Eskinazi, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Laurie Evans, Nick Hobson, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Hamish McKenzie, Jason Behrendorff

Perth Scorchers Actual Playing XI:

Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Jason Behrendorff, Laurie Evans, Ashton Turner, Hamish Mckenzie, Cooper Connolly, Nick Hobson, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Stephen Eskinazi

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The city of four seasons in a day could well live up to its name on Wednesday with thunderstorms and heavy showers forecast across the day.  However, into the evening the expectation is for clearer skies and we could even get away with no interruptions.

MLS vs PRS Pitch Report

As ever, the MCG is expected to deliver a wicket which produces a good contest between bat and ball on Wednesday evening. The humid conditions could well see more movement through the air than usual and we are not expecting a first innings total above 185.

Toss: To Bowl

Hobart Hurricanes became the first team to choose to bat first in this year's tournament but were then beaten on Monday! As a result, we expect both teams to select to bowl first if they win the toss.