Zampa's plan to stifle surging Smith

Steve Smith might be the best all-format batter in Australia, but Melbourne Stars leg-spinner Adam Zampa is confident his side can stifle the Sixers gun in the blockbuster KFC BBL qualifying final on Friday night.

Smith was electrifying in his last start for the Sixers, scoring a match-winning 66no to down the Melbourne Renegades and secure his side second place in the competition and a date with the Stars in The Qualifier at the MCG.

The winner of Friday's match will host The Final on February 8, while the loser has a second chance in the new finals format introduced this season.

Smith is undoubtedly a prize wicket for the Stars, and while the right-hander is in scintillating touch, Zampa is backing the Stars bowling attack, including himself, to come out on top on the familiar surrounds of their home turf.

"In the past he was a really strong player of spin down the ground – he's obviously a great player all around the ground – but then you watch games like the other day when he started switch-hitting and reverse-sweeping, he's one of those guys that just keeps getting better, keeps stepping up his game," Zampa told cricket.com.au today.

"It's going to be a challenge but I'm confident in my experience of the MCG of trying to get him to hit to certain areas of the ground."

The Stars have hosted the Sixers six times in the BBL at the colosseum-like MCG, home of one the largest playing surfaces in the country. 

Melbourne boast a 4-2 record against Sydney at the iconic venue, and the vast arena is one factor Zampa believes his team can use to their advantage after they limped into the BBL|09 Finals off the back of three straight losses.

Zampa is offering no excuses for the slump, but suggests the team that takes the park on Friday will be settled, refreshed and ready to prove why they finished first in the regular season.

"The fact that we've won the most games out of any team this year gives us a lot of confidence," said Zampa.

"Obviously, we've had a different team the last few games. We've now had a few days off and we really celebrated the fact that we finished first. I think that's a real achievement in  a 14-game season.

"The way we play at the MCG, we have a lot of confidence in that.

"We always play really well against the Sixers at the MCG. It's going to be a different task now with Steve Smith in the line-up but we're really confident our bowling attack now that Haris (Rauf, Pakistan paceman) is back and 'Coults' (right-armer Nathan Coulter-Nile) is bowling really well and I'm really confident in my own game in making a difference on Friday night."

While Zampa will be one of the strike weapons for Stars captain Glenn Maxwell,  Sixers allrounder Sean Abbott says his team is well-equipped to tackle the turning ball.

The Stars will not have the services of Nepalese spin sensation Sandeep Lamichhane due to national commitments but do boast wrist-spinners Clint Hinchliffe and Tom O'Connell and part-timers Nic Maddinson and Maxwell.

If the Stars do go with a spin-heavy bowling strategy for The Eliminator, Abbott says bring it on. 

"I think our team is quite a good batting side against spin – rotating strike and using power if we need to," Abbott told reporters in Sydney today.

"That will definitely be in the back of our minds but that's probably a strength of ours.

"Bring on the spin but I think we'll be looking to stick to our strengths.

"We're a great side at rotating strike and there are guys that can clear the fence.

"James Vince has found some form at the top of the order the last couple of games with Josh Philippe."