The Stars are eyeing off a top two spot as they host the Strikers at the MCG
Match facts
Who: Melbourne Stars v Adelaide Strikers
What: Match 34, KFC BBL|15
Where: MCG, Melbourne
When: Tuesday, January 13. Bat flip at 6.30pm AEDT, first ball at 7.15pm AEDT
How to watch: Channel Seven, 7plus, Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
Listen: ABC, SEN Radio. Listen in standard and real-time with no delay to live play via Cricket Radio on the CA Live app. Find out more here
Buy tickets: Tickets are on sale here
Live scores: Match Centre
Highlights, news and reactions after the match: cricket.com.au, the CA Live and Big Bash apps
Officials: Ben Treloar and Gerard Abood (field), Claire Polosak (third), Chris Grant (fourth), Kent Hannam (match referee)
Match squads
Melbourne Stars: Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke, Tom Curran, Sam Harper, Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Haris Rauf, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis (c), Mitch Swepson
Ins: Joe Clarke. Outs: Sam Hain (international replacement player).
Batter Joe Clarke returns to the Stars’ line-up for the first time in four matches after injuring his hip against the Sydney Thunder prior to the new year. International replacement player Sam Hain comes out of the squad upon Clarke’s return.
Adelaide Strikers: Hassan Ali, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Mackenzie Harvey, Chris Lynn, Harry Manenti, Jamie Overton, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short (c), Tabraiz Shamsi, Henry Thornton
Ins: Tabraiz Shamsi. Outs: Luke Wood (omitted).
Another swap of international recruits for the Adelaide Strikers heading into their clash with the Stars. Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has been recalled for his first BBL match at the MCG, while left-armer Luke Wood has been omitted.
Club news
Melbourne Stars
Adelaide Strikers
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Players to watch
Sam Harper (Stars): How could it be anyone else? The 29-year-old is the leading run scorer in BBL|15, with three scores over 50 and two over 80 in his past seven digs. Importantly, when he has gone big, he has carried his bat, finishing with 110no and 84no against the Sixers and Renegades respectively. After years of threatening, Harper has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign this summer and has made his runs at a strike rate of 158.92, well above his career record of 134.62.
Alex Carey (Strikers): He’s only played one game so far this tournament, but the Aussie keeper wasted no time making his mark. Carey blasted 71 from 39 balls against the Scorchers, which is his highest score in the competition since his century in BBL|10. It follows his incredible Ashes campaign that included a century at Adelaide Oval and two half-centuries to boot. He looms as a key to any hopes the Strikers have of sneaking into the finals.
Top performers
Local knowledge
Rapid stats
Melbourne Stars have won six of their past eight BBL matches against Adelaide Strikers, including a six-wicket victory when they last met earlier this season (December 23, 2025); the Stars have bowled first on the day in each of their last four meetings in that span (won three, lost one).
Adelaide Strikers have lost their past three BBL matches away from Adelaide Oval; the last time the Strikers recorded a longer losing run away from their home venue was a nine-match span from December 2022 to January 2024.
Melbourne Stars have lost their two BBL matches at the MCG in 2026; the last and only time the Stars started a calendar year on a longer losing run at the MCG was in 2018.
Lloyd Pope (Adelaide Strikers) has taken nine wickets at a strike rate of 10 across his past four BBL bowling innings, recording at least one wicket in each of those four innings; he’s taken four wickets across his past two innings against the Stars in the competition.
Sam Harper (Melbourne Stars) has a batting average of 89 in BBL|15 – the best of any player for the Stars in a single season in BBL history (minimum four innings).
What’s on the line?
The Stars are feeling no fear, according to captain Marcus Stoinis, as they look to make history and claim their first BBL title. To secure their place in the finals, they will need to get past both the Strikers and the second-placed Scorchers in the final two games. It’s the match against the Scorchers that might determine which of the two sides gets the double-chance.
Finals remain a big ask for the Strikers, albeit their dream remains alive. They’ll need to get through both Melbourne teams and rely on other results to make it through to their first finals series since BBL|13.
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
HUR
9
6
2
0
1
0.398
0
13
2
SCO
8
5
3
0
0
1.162
0
10
3
STA
8
5
3
0
0
0.909
0
10
4
SIX
8
4
3
0
1
0.458
0
9
5
HEA
8
4
4
0
0
-0.446
0
8
6
STR
8
3
5
0
0
-0.42
0
6
7
REN
7
3
4
0
0
-0.713
0
6
8
THU
8
1
7
0
0
-1.348
0
2
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
