BBL 14: Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes Cricket Betting Tips & Betting Offers

Graham Hardcastle provides his latest BBL cricket betting tips as Melbourne Stars look to complete a miraculous recovery and qualify for the latter stages of this year's competition.
It’s the final game of the group stage, and for Melbourne Stars it could well be must win against the high-flying Hobart Hurricanes, and you can follow our latest cricket tips plus the top cricket betting offers from the best betting sites.
- Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes
- KFC Big Bash League 14
- Sunday January 19, 2024, 8.15am UK
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes Cricket Betting Tips
Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes Preview
There’s no doubt that for this fixture, you could make a strong case for either side winning given the strength of their recent form. But I’m going to side with the Melbourne Stars for this one, available at 1/1 with William Hill.
The Stars, having lost their first five matches, are on a four-game winning streak and have put themselves in a position where a win will almost certainly qualify them. But they could be qualified before that game.
The current situation is that champions Brisbane Heat sit fifth on seven points from nine games with an inferior net run-rate to the Stars, who are fourth on eight points.
We’re writing this prior to Brisbane’s final game against Melbourne Renegades tomorrow. Heat need to win to stay alive. But even if they do, it will be in the Stars’ hands.
The Hurricanes have already assured themselves of top spot and a home clash on Tuesday with second-placed Sydney Sixers in the Qualifier clash for a place in the final a week on Monday. Will that take the edge off them in this clash with the Stars?
More than enough power to bring six appeal
There’s plenty of power on show with the bat across these two teams to suggest that betway’s over 10.5 sixes in the match at 1/1 can be covered even if the MCG is not one of the big six-hitting venues across this competition.
In the Stars’ last match, across town at Marvel Stadium against the Melbourne Renegades last weekend, Glenn Maxwell hit 10 alone in a stunning match-turning 90. Hobart hit nine themselves in yesterday’s win over Brisbane Heat at the Gabba when they chased 202 off the last ball of the match.
Owen, Chaudhary, Wade, David, Stoinis, Maxwell, Cartwright - they can all clear the ropes.
I quite like the look of bet365’s four-pronged boosted bet builder available at 9/4. That’s for seamers Joel Paris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Ellis and Riley Meredith to take a wicket apiece.
Meredith and Siddle have taken 11 wickets apiece in the competition, Ellis eight and Paris seven.
I’m going to take betfair’s 7/2 on Beau Webster to be the top batter for the Melbourne Stars. The big all-rounder has batted at three in his last two matches, scoring 48 and 15. He also hit 57 and 39 not out on Test debut for Australia against India earlier this month, so he’s in decent touch.
Now would be a really good time for the Stars to see him put in a dominant performance befitting of his increased standing in the game. Incidentally, he’s just signed an overseas deal with Warwickshire for the forthcoming county summer.
And to finish, given he has the ability to impact the game with the ball - he’s also a more than handy fielder - I’d be interested in siding with bet365’s 12/1 on him to the player-of-the-match.
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Graham Hardcastle
Graham has been contributing on Freebets for three years now, he is our main man when it comes to all formats of cricket, and if England are playing, he’ll be bringing you his best bets. Elsewhere, a keen tennis fan, Graham guides us through the tennis majors each year.