Everything you need to know ahead of the Big Bash semi-finals
BBL|05 semi-finals form guide
Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Thunder
Adelaide Oval, Thursday January 21, 7.10pm (local time)
The road to the finals
Adelaide Strikers (1st, 14 points, NRR 0.544)
- Beat the Stars by 19 runs, Adelaide
- Beat the Scorchers by four wickets, WACA
- Lost to the Thunder by seven wickets, Spotless
- Beat the Sixers by five wickets, Adelaide
- Beat the Scorchers by 36 runs, Adelaide
- Beat the Heat by eight wickets, Gabba
- Beat the Hurricanes by six wickets, Adelaide
- Beat the Renegades by 27 runs, Etihad
Sydney Thunder (4th, 8 points, NRR 0.375)
- Beat the Sixers by 36 runs, Spotless
- Beat the Stars by one run, MCG
- Beat the Strikers by seven wickets, Spotless
- Lost to the Hurricanes by 11 runs, Blundstone
- Lost to the Heat by six wickets, Gabba
- Lost to the Scorchers by 30 runs, Spotless
- Lost to the Renegades by five wickets, Spotless
- Beat the Sixers by 46 runs, SCG
Top run scorers in BBL|05
Adelaide Strikers:
Travis Head: 276 runs at 46 (SR 156.81)
Tim Ludeman: 254 runs at 42.33 (SR 109.95)
Brad Hodge: 230 runs at 57.5 (SR 133.72)
Sydney Thunder:
Michael Hussey: 277 runs at 55.4 (SR 133.12)
Shane Watson: 222 runs at 27.75 (SR 136.19)
Andre Russell: 175 runs at 25 (SR 192.30)
Top wicket-takers in BBL|05
Adelaide Strikers:
Adil Rashid: 15 wickets at 13.2 (economy 6.38)
Ben Laughlin: 11 wickets at 20.09 (economy 8.81)
Michael Neser: 7 wickets at 22.71 (economy 7.75)
Sydney Thunder:
Clint McKay: 14 wickets at 13.57 (economy 7.35)
Andre Russell: 14 wickets at 17.21 (economy 7.77)
Fawad Ahmed: 6 wickets at 33.33 (economy 7.69)
The latest news
In-form Australian batsman Usman Khawaja returns for the Thunder after a stint carrying drinks in the ODI squad, while they are also hopeful veteran Jacques Kallis will be fit after some injury concerns.
The Strikers are adamant star import Mahela Jayawardena will be fit to play after missing Adelaide's last two outings due to injury, while Gary Putland joins the side for the first time this summer, with the pace-bowler overcoming a calf injury he suffered early on in the Strikers’ season to return for the semi-final. Kane Richardson remains with Australia's limited-overs squads.
Earlier this season
The Thunder won this year’s regular season clash by seven wickets at Spotless Stadium. Good bowling from Andre Russell and Clint McKay, who claimed two wickets apiece, restricted Adelaide to 119, before 49 not out from Jacques Kallis saw the Thunder home in 16.3 overs.
Head to head
The overall ledger stands at 2-2, with one no result.
Squads
Adelaide Strikers: Brad Hodge (c), Jono Dean, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Mahela Jayawardena, Hamish Kingston, Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Tim Ludeman (wk), Michael Neser, Gary Putland, Adil Rashid, Alex Ross
Sydney Thunder: Mike Hussey (c), Fawad Ahmed, Aiden Blizzard, Chris Green, Chris Hartley (wk), Nathan McAndrew, Andrew McDonald, Usman Khawaja, Clint McKay, Henry Nicholls, Ben Rohrer, Andre Russell, Shane Watson
Key players
Adelaide Strikers: You can’t go past Adil Rashid. The England spinner has been a revelation for the Strikers and sits atop the BBL wicket table. Travis Head has been making headlines all season for his heroics with the bat and another big knock from him will be important.
Sydney Thunder: This is his last BBL season and Mike Hussey is determined to go out on a high note. Age has not slowed him down – he is averaging 55.4 for the season. Usman Khawaja looms as a danger man after big knocks in his only two appearances to far (he's averaging 171 thanks to an unbeaten 109 and 62), while another big one to watch is West Indies import Andre Russell, currently the league's top-ranked allrounder.
Melbourne Stars v Perth Scorchers
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Friday January 22, 7.40pm (local time)
The road to the finals
Melbourne Stars (2nd, 10 points, NRR 0.366):
- Lost to Strikers by 19 runs, Adelaide
- Lost to Thunder by one run, MCG
- Beat Sixers by five wickets, SCG
- Beat Renegades by seven wickets, MCG
- Beat Hurricanes by eight wickets, MCG
- Beat Renegades by eight wickets, Etihad
- Lost to Heat by 56 runs, MCG
- Beat Scorchers by 52 runs, WACA
Perth Scorchers (3rd, 10 points, NRR 0.181):
- Lost to Strikers by four wickets, WACA
- Beat the Heat by nine wickets, WACA
- Beat the Renegades by 10 wickets, Etihad
- Beat the Sixers by nine wickets, WACA
- Lost to the Strikers by 36 runs, Adelaide
- Beat the Thunder by 30 runs, Spotless
- Beat the Hurricanes by one run, Blundstone
- Lost to the Stars by 52 runs, WACA
Top run scorers in BBL|05
Melbourne Stars:
Luke Wright: 250 runs at 41.66 (SR 137.36)
Kevin Pietersen: 187 runs at 31.16 (SR 146.09)
Glenn Maxwell (not available): 151 runs at 37.75 (SR 142.45)
Perth Scorchers:
Michael Klinger: 241 runs at 40.16 (SR 128.19)
Shaun Marsh (not available): 218 runs at 72.66 (SR 128.23)
Cameron Bancroft: 124 runs at 31 (SR 125.25)
Top wicket-takers in BBL|05:
Melbourne Stars:
Ben Hilfenhaus: 9 wickets at 17.66 (economy 8.36)
Adam Zampa: 9 wickets at 24 (economy 7.2)
John Hastings (not available): 8 wickets at 21.25 (economy 8.5)
Perth Scorchers
Andrew Tye: 13 wickets at 15.75 (economy 6.79)
Jason Behrendorff: 10 wickets at 16.8 (economy 7.00)
David Willey: 8 wickets at 25.88 (economy 7.28)
The latest news
The Scorchers are hopeful spearhead Jason Behrendorff will be able to play through the pain of a back injury to see them through their finals campaign. They also regain promising young paceman Joel Paris for the semi-final, after he completed his Australia ODI duties. Shaun and Mitchell Marsh remain with the Australia T20 squad and won’t be available.
The Stars are without Australian quartet Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Scott Boland and John Hastings, with all included in Australia's limited-overs squads to play India and unavailable for the Big Bash finals.
When they last met
You only have to cast your mind back as far as last Saturday when the Stars recorded a stunning 52-run win against the odds to secure the home semi-final. Few gave the Stars a hope against the two-time defending champs after they fell to 4-55 early before scraping their way to 9-146. But when Dan Worrall removed the Scorchers' most consistent batsman, Michael Klinger, with the fourth ball of the innings, it was suddenly game on.
Head to head
Overall the ledger stands at 4-4. The Scorchers hold the upper hand when it comes to the play offs – they are responsible for three of the Stars' four semi-final defeats – but this year, for the first time, they meet in a semi-final on the Stars' home turf.
Squads
Melbourne Stars: David Hussey (c),Michael Beer, Jackson Coleman, Seb Gotch, Evan Gulbis, Peter Handscomb (wk), Ben Hilfenhaus, Kevin Pietersen, Rob Quiney, Marcus Stoinis, Dan Worrall, Luke Wright, Adam Zampa
Perth Scorchers: Adam Voges (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft (wk), Jason Behrendorff, Michael Carberry, Matt Dixon, Marcus Harris, Brad Hogg, Michael Klinger, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Willey.
Key players
Melbourne Stars: Luke Wright has been the star with the bat for the Stars this summer, with his unbeaten century against the Renegades a particular highlight. Given the talent absent from the Stars' available squad – Maxwell, Faulkner, Boland and Hastings - they will rely on their imports to make plenty of runs, so Kevin Pietersen looms as another key player for the Stars.
Perth Scorchers: Michael Klinger is the key man at the top of the order for the Scorchers and after his very consistent season to date, they will need him to fire again. His early dismissal against the Stars triggered all sorts of problems. Meanwhile Andrew Tye looms as the most important bowler for the Scorchers, with 13 wickets for the season and an economy rate of 6.79, the best by a strike fast bowler for BBL|05.