Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades - BBL Final Fantasy Preview

It doesn’t get any better than this. The stage is set. A Sunday evening and Melbourne Renegades take on Melbourne Stars in the final of the 2018/19 Big Bash League. In Melbourne itself. Who will the fans be cheering? Who will end victorious? We will wait and find out tomorrow who emerges champions of BBL Season 8!

2 months after the season began, these two teams will fight for all bragging rights and of course, the title. Judging from the semi-final at this ground, we’re set to have an exciting final as the pitch played brilliantly the other day. Melbourne Stars won both the round robin games against Renegades this season, but the latter have come into this final with some good form. Looks like it’s going to be a fine game!

Match info

Tournament: Big Bash League Season 8 – 2018/19
Date: 17th February 2019, 9:15am IST
Venue: Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
Capacity: 48,000+
Series status: Final

Form (recent first)

Melbourne Renegades: W L W W W
Melbourne Stars: W W L L W

Stats

Renegades won 8 round robin games this season, while Stars won 7.
Renegades’ top score this season is 184 this season, while Stars’ top score is 168.
Marcus Stoinis (Stars) is the 3rd highest run getter this season – 494 runs.
Kane Richardson (Renegades) is the top wicket taker this season – 24 wickets.

Renegades

Their top three chases this season are 184, 176 and 167, while their opponents top score in general is 168. This means that if the Renegades bat first and get 160+ on the board, a win seems likely. Aaron Finch is someone you could pick (not as captain) as he has the most experience and has three 30+ scores in his last 5 outings.

Your wicket-keeper pick should also come from this team – Sam Harper, who has also done well with 335 runs this season. Most would prefer Peter Handscomb from the Stars, but this becomes the unpopular but in-form pick. As for the bowlers, I’d drop Kane Richardson as everyone would have him in their teams, but I’d go for Cameron Boyce instead. He has 6 wickets in his last 4 games and let’s not forget, a very surprising 51*.

Stars

Jackson Coleman comes in for Nick Larkin as the only change to their squad for the final. Adam Zampa has 12 wickets from 12 games while Sandeep Lamichhane has 11 in 7 games. Choose the latter, as he has the ability of being a game-changer. He should be the only bowler in your fantasy team as other bowling options can come from the all-rounders.

Both my all-rounder picks are coming from Melbourne Stars. Marcus Stoinis has done exceptionally well this season and while I’ve been all against choosing a popular player as captain, this guy is definitely my captain, with 494 runs and 14 wickets. Dwayne Bravo is the other pick, with 142 runs and 15 wickets this season.