AUS T20 League 2024-2025

Match 4: STA vs HEA

Preview

The fourth match of the ongoing Australia T20 League will be played between Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat. The game is set to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, December 18.

The Stars lost their last game against Perth Scorchers by a margin of six wickets. Marcus Stoinis's 37 off 33 and Tom Curran's 37 off 19 coming down the order saved them from a low-scoring disaster. A failure in batting strategy led them to a below-par score of just 146 runs in the first innings of the game. The opponents quite comfortably chased down the total, with Cooper Connolly scoring a half-century. STA needs to pad up in their next fixture with a valiant strategy with fewer margins of errors.  

On the contrary, Heat will play its inaugural match of the Australia T20 League 2024-25. The Colin Munro-led Heat will have Matt Renshaw and Paul Walter in their arsenal, and Mitchell Swepson will play a key role with the ball. As the title defenders, the Heat will step into this season of the tournament as the favourites. As their first game, this may be a bit tough, but the champions know how to perform under pressure.

Match Details

Match: STA vs HEA, 4th Match, Aus T20 League 2024-25

Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Time: 01:45 PM

Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Pitch Report

The pitch at Melbourne is a batting-friendly surface. In the game’s initial phase, it supports the fast bowlers, offering them good swing and bounce. The spinners might not get much help on this track early on. Batting can play more effortlessly in the latter half of the game. 

The temperature is expected to flow around 21°C to 12°C, with 50% humidity and 18 km/hr wind speed. Although there will be clouds hovering around, there is no possibility of downpours playing the killjoy.

STA vs HEA Squads

STA: Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Stoinis (c), Joe Clarke, Thomas Fraser Rogers, Hilton Cartwright, Beau Webster, Tom Curran, Hamish McKenzie, Adam Milne, Brody Couch, Blake Macdonald, Campbell Kellaway, Jonathan Merlo, Joel Paris

HEA: Colin Munro (c), Jimmy Peirson (wk), Max Bryant, Matt Renshaw, Paul Walter, Jack Wildermuth, Tom Alsop, Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Will Prestwidge, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wood, Daniel Drew, Tom Whitney

STA vs HEA Probable Playing XIs

STA: Marcus Stoinis (c), Thomas Fraser Rogers, Joe Clarke, Sam Harper (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Beau Webster, Tom Curran, Hamish McKenzie, Adam Milne, Brody Couch, Peter Siddle

HEA: Colin Munro (c), Jimmy Peirson (wk), Tom Alsop, Matt Renshaw, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Will Prestwidge, Jack Wildermuth, Nathan McSweeney, Spencer Johnson

Match Prediction

The Melbourne Stars began their season with a loss against the Perth Scorchers. Their previous game was disastrous, especially with the bat. On the other hand, Brisbane Heat has a balanced squad with a perfect combination of experienced players and emerging talents. They are the defending champions and will definitely start as the favourites to win this game.

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