How the Sixers plan to stop Stars’ danger man

Sydney Sixers paceman Ben Dwarshuis is hopeful the KFC BBL title contender has found the recipe to quell the influence of the prolific Marcus Stoinis as they prepare to return to the scene of the Melbourne Stars' batsman's record-breaking innings.

Stoinis feasted on the Sixers' bowlers at the MCG on January 12, belting 13 boundaries and eight sixes as he posted a majestic 147 not out from 79 balls – the highest individual score in BBL history.

The Stars cruised to a 44-run victory in that fixture on the back of Stoinis' heroics but went down by 21 runs (DLS Method) when the pair clashed at the SCG eight days later.

While Stoinis muscled 62 from 37 deliveries in that defeat, Dwarshuis said the Sixers had found a method for success against the tournament's leading batsman.

The top-two teams in the BBL will square off in The Qualifier in Melbourne on Friday night, with the winner advancing directly to the final, which they will host on February 8.

"Up until we beat them at the SCG, I think there were a few nightmares (about Stoinis' century) going around," Dwarshuis told Sky Sports Radio on Tuesday.

"It was good to get one back on them at the SCG. That will give us some good confidence going into the Melbourne game.

"We found a few different plans that seemed to work against him (Stoinis) and hopefully we'll be able to do a similar thing down in Melbourne.

"He can hit the ball to all parts of the ground, so I think the key to bowling to him is just to try and be a little bit unpredictable and not let him predict what's coming.

"He's very good at picking gaps, manoeuvring the ball around and finding the boundary where the fielders aren't.

"He's obviously a really good player in really good form, so that can be a little bit challenging, but that's what you've got to try and do."

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon took the field for the Sixers when the duo last met in Sydney, but the visitors have since been boosted by the inclusion of Josh Hazlewood after the national team's ODI tour of India.

Sean Abbott could also return for the Sixers, having not played since December 28 because of a side strain.

Abbott was in red-hot form before his injury, claiming 11 wickets from five games in BBL|09.

The Stars will carry losing form into finals, having suffered defeats in their past three matches.

While Dwarshuis acknowledged the Stars' strong batting line-up, he said Stoinis (607 runs at 60.70 this season) and skipper Glenn Maxwell (373 at 46.62) were the obvious key wickets in the Sixers' bid to put the tournament favourites under the furnace.

"They're the two leading run-scorers and they've got it done for them many times," Dwarshuis said.

"You can put a lot of pressure on the rest of the batters if they know they don't have Stoinis and Maxwell there to finish off the innings or get them off to a good start.

"If we can get those two early, it will put us in a really good position."

The likes of Brisbane Heat pair Chris Lynn and AB de Villiers and Melbourne Renegades' title-winning skipper Aaron Finch have selected the Sixers to hoist the silverware this season.

The Sixers claimed the inaugural BBL title in 2011-12, while the Stars are chasing their first trophy after finishing second to the Renegades in last season's decider.