BBL 12: Melbourne Stars-SWOT Analysis
Melbourne Stars (Source: Twitter)
The Big Bash League's 12th edition is due to begin on the 13th of December. Melbourne Stars will be playing in the opening match of the season against Sydney Thunder.
Before the tournament let us take an analytical look at the squad of Melbourne Stars. The announced players of the team for this season are:
Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nick Larkin, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa (C), Clint Hinchcliffe, Liam Hatcher, Hilton Cartwright, Tom O'Connell, Brody Couch, Beau Webster, Joe Burns, Sam Elliott, Joe Clarke, Trent Boult, Luke Wood, Cameron McClure, Campbell Kellaway
But Glenn Maxwell will not be a part of the team this season because of his injury.
Strength of Melbourne Stars
Solid Bowling Unit
The Melbourne Stars boast of names like Trent Boult, Luke Wood, and Nathan Coulter-Nile in the pace department. To support the prime pacers, there is the like of a premium spinner in Adam Zampa who would be fulfilling the responsibilities in the middle overs.
Besides the four frontline bowlers, they will have the likes of Marcus Stoinis, Hilton Cartwright, and Clint Hinchcliffe to support the trade. So altogether the bowling unit of the Stars looks very compact.
Weakness of Melbourne Stars
Lack of strength in middle-order batting
If they choose to use Marcus Stoinis as an opener it will weaken their middle order. There is not enough experience or firepower in the middle order to carry the team throughout the tournament.
With Joe Clarke and Marcus Stoinis opening followed by Joe Burns, the responsibility will be on the top three to lay the foundation, so that the middle and lower middle order does not have to do much of the planning. Their only job will be to give the team some strong finishes, but the absence of an experienced player in the middle order will be felt by the Stars during the tournament.
Opportunities
Chance for new batters to establish themselves as the mainstay in the middle order
The absence of Glenn Maxwell and Andre Russell will provide players like Campbell Kellaway, Hilton Cartwright, and Beau Webster with the opportunity to show themselves as more responsible batters in the middle order.
They will have the responsibility to build the matches for the Stars and also provide them with strong finishes.
Threat
Absence of Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell was due to lead the team for the season. But his injury will keep him out of the action during the tournament. His absence will not only be causing problems for the team in the leadership department but also will weaken their middle-order batting.
The presence of a Maxwell in the middle order especially in T20 matches ensures that the game can be changed at any given moment in time. The other players do not panic quickly as long as Maxwell is there, so his absence will be a huge blow to the team.
 "Probuddha Bhattacharjee")
