Shane Warne: Melbourne Stars have all ingredients to capitalise on flying start to BBL campaign

Melbourne Stars are flying under coach David Hussey, sitting top of the BBL table after a 5-1 start. Former Stars skipper Shane Warne says the perennial contender has never had a better platform to be successful. SUPERCOACH TIPS

Marcus Stoinis has still scored well despite not bowling in BBL09.

Melbourne Stars could not have asked for a better platform for BBL glory.

With five wins from six matches under new coach David Hussey, the Stars are primed to end their run of outs in Big Bash finals.

Hussey’s side has all the ingredients of a genuine contender and their hunger for success has been evident after last year’s disastrous BBL final collapse.

THERE ARE STILL THOUSANDS IN PRIZES TO BE WON! SIGN UP FOR SUPERCOACH BBL NOW.

Australian selectors have done the Stars a huge favour by omitting Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell from the one-day tour of India.

In recent years, their title hopes have been derailed by the absence of key players during the run to finals.

Glenn Maxwell is leading Melbourne Stars’ push for a breakthrough BBL title.

As impressive as Adam Zampa has been in BBL09, the Stars have a quality replacement as their No. 1 spinner in Sandeep Lamichhane.

Peter Handscomb, the other Star selected to tour India, has only faced 72 balls in five matches.

His wicketkeeping role will likely be taken by Ben Dunk, while former Australian all-rounder Hilton Cartwright can slot into the middle-order in a sign of the club’s depth.

MORE BBL NEWS:

Which Australian Test stars should be on your SuperCoach BBL radar?

Haris Rauf was unknown to his Melbourne Stars teammates when he was named to make his Big Bash debut

Inside Perth’s Big Bash League ‘fixture from hell’

From Muttiah Muralitharan to Ben Stokes, the stars you forgot played in the Big Bash League

Thumb injury to delay Nathan Lyon’s BBL return for Sydney Sixers

The Stars are the team every SuperCoach should hone in on for Round 7.

They play the first of their two fixtures this round against Sydney Thunder on Wednesday night and will be targeting a clean sweep of their BBL09 derbies when they take on the Renegades on Friday.

Shane Warne in action for Melbourne Stars during BBL02.

THERE ARE STILL THOUSANDS IN PRIZES TO BE WON! SIGN UP FOR SUPERCOACH BBL NOW.

The Stars have provided plenty of joy for SuperCoaches this season.

Paceman Haris Rauf started at $42,000 and his price has skyrocketed by more than $115,000, while Maxwell ranked sixth for total points after Round 6.

Stoinis has averaged 63 points a game despite an injury which has kept him from bowling, while Zampa (60.7), Dale Steyn (56.3) and Lamichhane (50.2) have averaged more than 50.

Maxwell and Stoinis are the type of players every SuperCoach should be aiming to build their team around.

Their quality will be crucial if the Stars are to ice their dominant start with a breakthrough BBL title.

Brisbane Heat, who will soon welcome AB De Villiers, remain the Stars’ biggest threat despite a 3-3 start.

Marcus Stoinis has still scored well despite not bowling in BBL09.

SHANE WARNE’S TEAM

Club 23 Legends — Round 6 scores

Rashid Khan 70

Mitch Marsh 169

Fawad Ahmed C 98

Cameron Green 47

Ashton Agar 34

Riley Meredith 33

Sam Harper 113

Will Sutherland 11

Cameron Boyce 4

D’Arcy Short 173

Caleb Jewell 38

Score: 790

Overall rank: 10,061

Originally published as Shane Warne: Melbourne Stars have all ingredients to capitalise on flying start to BBL campaign