The Melbourne Stars have called in six local replacement players as Perth Scorchers confirm a positive case of COVID-19 in their playing group
Maxwell to lead new-look Stars amid COVID outbreak
The COVID-19 ravaged Melbourne Stars will field one of the most unusual and least experienced teams in KFC BBL history with up to six players in line to make their club debuts under a brand new coaching staff.
Captain Glenn Maxwell has dodged the outbreak that has forced 10 Stars players and eight support staff into isolation, and will lead an XI against tournament standouts Perth Scorchers that will have at least six changes from its last outing.
There had been doubt the match would be able to proceed but Cricket Australia is determined to keep the show going, particularly after the scheduled Scorchers-Stars match at Marvel Stadium last Thursday had to be postponed after a positive case.
The Stars have named six local replacement players, while the Scorchers will also be without batter Nick Hobson after he tested positive for the virus yesterday.
Paceman Matt Kelly and assistant coach Beau Casson are also isolating as a precaution.
The arrival of star Pakistani paceman Haris Rauf is a godsend for a Stars side that will be without World Cup winners Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, as well as Nathan Coulter-Nile, Joe Burns and Beau Webster.
Maxwell and Rauf are two of the best T20 players in the world but, with squad members Sam Elliott, Clinton Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Sam Rainbird, Liam Hatcher and Billy Stanlake (the latter two due to previously-held injuries) also unavailable, the pair will have an enormous load to carry against the perennial title challengers.
Gun allrounder Andre Russell had already departed having played the last match of his five-game stint on Monday, a 20-run win over the Brisbane Heat that left the Stars with three wins and three defeats for the season.
It has meant they have had to cast their gaze to club cricket ranks for the first ever BBL game at Melbourne’s CitiPower Centre, an afternoon match that gets underway at 3.30pm AEDT on Fox Cricket.
Former Sydney Sixers opener Justin Avendano, leading Victorian Premier Cricket players Tom Rogers, Lachlan Bangs and Patrick Rowe, as well as state-contracted pair Xavier Crone (Victoria) and Charlie Wakim (Tasmania) been all been called up to the 13-man Stars squad.
Top-order batter Rogers (not to be confused with the Hobart Hurricanes paceman of the same name) hit an unbeaten 200 in a 50-over match for Ringwood earlier this month while the aptly-named Bangs, a seam-bowling allrounder, hit 110no off just 67 balls in one innings last summer for Premier champions Prahran.
Rowe is a former Australia Under-19s wicketkeeper who previously held a contract with Victoria.
With coach David Hussey and his entire support staff sidelined, Victoria’s Chris Rogers will take the reins with assistance from Stars WBBL head coach Jarrad Loughman and ex-state gloveman Adam Crosthwaite.
The Scorchers will also be without Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis after the pair were called up to Australia’s squad as cover for this week's SCG Test.
The Stars are scheduled to host the blockbuster Melbourne Derby clash against the Renegades tomorrow night at the MCG.
After Thursday’s postponed match, the Sydney Thunder's game against Adelaide Strikers went ahead the following day despite four members of the Thunder squad returning positive PCR tests for COVID-19.
"Our thoughts are with our players who have tested positive today and we wish them a speedy recovery,” said Stars general manager Blair Crouch after Sunday’s confirmation of three more Stars players contracting the virus.
"Thanks to the medical teams at Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia for their ongoing support under difficult circumstances.
"Despite all the challenges over the last few days, we look forward to taking the field tomorrow at CitiPower Centre to play in front of our members and fans."
Melbourne Stars squad: Glenn Maxwell (c), Qais Ahmad (AFG), Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (ENG), Brody Couch, Tom O'Connell, Haris Rauf (PAK), Justin Avendano, Lachlan Bangs, Xavier Crone, Tom Rogers, Patrick Rowe, Charlie Wakim
Perth Scorchers squad: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Laurie Evans (ENG), Aaron Hardie. Peter Hatzoglou, Tymal Mills (ENG), David Moody, Lance Morris, Colin Munro (NZ), Kurtis Patterson, Andrew Tye