• Match: Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades, 23rd Match, Big Bash League 2023-24
• Date and Time: January 02, 08:15 am GMT/ 01:45 pm IST / 06:15 pm local time
• Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Melbourne Stars: The Northern Brave have engaged in two matches to date, emerging victorious in one and facing defeat in another. Their campaign commenced with an impressive 55-run triumph against the Central Stags, only to encounter a setback with a 56-run loss to the same team in the subsequent game.

Melbourne Renegades: Conversely, Wellington has showcased remarkable prowess in both of their encounters. The team clinched a commanding 74-run victory against Otago in their opening match and followed it up by restricting the same team to a mere 47 runs, securing a comprehensive 9-wicket win.

Melbourne Stars: Glenn Maxwell (Captain), Sam Harper (Wicket-Keeper), Hilton Cartwright, Beau Webster, Marcus Stoinis, Thomas Rogers, Imad Wasim, Jonathan Merlo, Mark Steketee, Olly Stone, Joel Paris.

Melbourne Renegades: Nic Maddinson (Captain), Joe Clarke, Quinton de Kock (Wicket-Keeper), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shaun Marsh, Jonathan Wells, Will Sutherland, Tom Rogers, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Both Melbourne sides are entering the MCG with heightened confidence, securing wins in their recent games. Despite the Renegades’ strong track record in this fixture, they face a formidable challenge in the dominant Melbourne Stars, currently excelling in the tournament. We anticipate a competitive match, yet our prediction leans towards a comfortable victory for the Melbourne Stars in this encounter against the Melbourne Renegades.

In recent games, both sides, upon winning the toss, have consistently opted to field first. As a result, our prediction leans towards both captains continuing this trend and choosing to field first if they win the toss in the upcoming derby match.

Anticipate a slightly slower pitch at the MCG compared to earlier matches in the tournament. A competitive score for this game is estimated to be around 155, indicating that the conditions might favor a more nuanced approach due to the pitch being a bit slower.

The weather forecast suggests the possibility of thunderstorms in the vicinity of the ground during the match. Expect high humidity and cloudy conditions persisting throughout the game, potentially impacting the playing conditions with the looming threat of thunderstorms in the area.

• Stadium: Melbourne Cricket Ground
• City: Melbourne
• Capacity: 100000
• Ends: Members End, Great Southern Stand End
• Hosts to: Australia, Victoria