BBL: Melbourne Stars finding motivation in cross-town rivalry as losses mount and fun evaporates

The run for the Big Bash finish line has begun and despite low spirits there’s still a bit to play for.

Beau Webster of the Stars (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Getting to the end of the Big Bash will be a “bit of a grind” for Melbourne Stars players banned from even entering each other‘s hotel rooms but they’ll muster something for the final cross-town derby of the season.

Stars batsman Beau Webster, who opened for his team on Tuesday in a second-match in 24 hours with regular opener Joe Clarke feeling the pinch, insisted his side had a point to prove against the Renegades in Thursday’s return derby at Marvel Stadium.

The green team was forced to field a depleted line-up in the first derby last week at the MCG as Covid ran through the playing group. Webster agreed with Stars stand-in captain Adam Zampa who said the marquee match-up “was taken the piss out of” as his team featured five top-up players in the 50 run loss.

“The team we put out for the first game was less than ideal and all of a sudden I suppose it took the mickey a little bit out of the derby being such a prestigious, and one of the biggest, games on the calendar,” Webster, who joined the Stars from the Renegades this season, said.

“It was only a few years ago we were getting 80,000 to them and what was dished up the other night wasn’t what anyone wanted.

“Hopefully we’ll be full strength on Thursday and hopefully get the full four points.

“From my time at the Renegades, it was one game that was really targeted and you want to beat the opposition coming from the same state as you.”

Hilton Cartwright and Beau Webster bat for the Stars (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile could be on the verge of returns for the Stars, and adding extra spice to the contest is the fact that both sides are scrapping to stay in finals contention after they both lost on Monday.

Finding the motivation to finish the season strong has been made harder by strict new Covid protocols which Webster, who was one of nearly 50 players and officials forced to isolate for seven days recently, said had sucked the fun out of the competition.

“The Big Bash is supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be enjoyable for the crowds and the players and everyone involved,” he said.

“The first part of the tournament when the Covid wasn’t around as much, we really did have a good time.

“Then as soon as Covid took over and the new protocols came in, it sucked a lot of the fun right out of it.

“Now we’re not even allowed to go into other teammates’ hotel rooms, you have to isolate even if you’re not isolating officially, it has lost its fun a lot. It’s a bit of a grind to get through to the end of the tournament, really.

“We’ve still got four games left in the (preliminary) round and if we sneak into the finals, potentially we’ve got another six or seven games left.

“Don’t write us off just yet, you never know what can happen with a couple of games to go and in the finals series.”

Originally published as BBL: Melbourne Stars finding motivation in cross-town rivalry as losses mount and fun evaporates