Melbourne Stars come off two seasons where they finished one step before the title and will want to go the full distance this time around. They have a strong squad and have strengthened it further in the off-season with some handy additions.
On the other hand, Brisbane Heat have a lot of names, yet inconsistency and lack of good players in key roles make them the underdogs for this fixture. Chris Lynn will also not have Morne Morkel for the next few games, signed up this season as a local player. The Heat will have to face a rampaging Stars side first up.
Overall squads
Brisbane Heat: Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Lewis Gregory, Sam Heazlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Laughlin, Dan Lawrence, Chris Lynn, Simon Milenko, Morne Morkel, Jimmy Peirson, Lachlan Pfeffer, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mark Steketee, Connor Sully, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth, Matthew Willans, Jack Wood
Melbourne Stars: Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Andre Fletcher, Seb Gotch, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Dilbar Hussain, Zahir Khan, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jono Merlo, Lance Morris, Tom O’Connell, Nicholas Pooran, Will Pucovski, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Team news
The Heat won’t have Lewis Gregory, who is set to join from their fourth game, Mitchell Swepson or Mark Steketee. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman is also unavailable, while Marnus Labuschagne and Joe Burns are on Test duty. Dan Lawrence, the England youngster, is available for the first five matches.
Nic Maddinson is unavailable for the first match, while Nicholas Pooran’s availability is still a question mark although on paper he is set to arrive from game four. Will Pucovski is still recovering from the concussion during the India A tour game and will be unavailable as well.
Probable XI
Melbourne Stars: Marcus Stoinis, Andre Fletcher, Hilton Cartwright, Ben Dunk, Glenn Maxwell, Seb Gotch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa, Zahir Khan, Billy Stanlake, Jackson Coleman.
Brisbane Heat: Max Bryant, Chris Lynn, Dan Lawrence, Tom Cooper, Jimmy Pierson, Sam Heazlett, Jack Wildermuth, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Laughlin, Matt Williams, Matt Kuhneman
Key players
Marcus Stoinis – A big hitter at the top of the order and a handy pacer who can mix up his speeds, Marcus Stoinis is perhaps the most valuable player in Melbourne Stars, if not the whole league. Stoinis comes off the back of a decent outing in the IPL and the India series where he got injured and will be looking to step back into a role he has owned in the past.
Dan Lawrence – Much is expected of England all-rounder Dan Lawrence. A powerplay spinner and a good player of pace and spin, Lawrence is expected to shore up a rather lousy batting line-up. Much will ride on him, Lynn and Bryant to lift the Heat. Lawrence is expected to bat at no.3 and take the new ball in the odd game while he is available, which is until Christmas.