Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2022 Weber WBBL
Melbourne Stars take on Sydney Thunder in match 25 of the WBBL; the eighth edition of the tournament.
The game is scheduled to start at 11am local time (4am BST) on Sunday, October 31.
The Eastern Oval in Ballarat is set to stage this match.
Stars and Thunder have just two wins between them in 11 WBBL games and are in danger of being cut adrift towards the bottom of the table.
Victory over Melbourne Renegades in their last outing does at least mean Stars come into the game with a win - a six-wicket success inspired by Annabel Sutherland.
Thunder's sole victory came courtesy of a 26-run defeat of defending champions Perth Scorchers.
Just 13.4 overs were possible in the first meeting between the sides on October 23, as rain thwarted any hope of a result.
Annabel Sutherland [Graham Denholm/Getty Images]
With 126 runs and seven wickets, Sutherland has been the outstanding performer during an otherwise uneven Stars campaign.
The 21-year-old has made a tangible contribution in every game, and last time out struck an unbeaten 42 after taking 3 for 17, to comfortably beat Renegades.
Phoebe Litchfield will be hoping to pick up from where she left off in the last game against Stars.
Though less than 14 complete overs were possible, it was enough time for her to strike an unbeaten half-century from 34 balls thanks to her hitting seven fours and a six.
Sutherland delivered four deliveries to her in the match which went for seven runs.
There is a high chance of showers in Ballarat, with forecasters expecting between eight and 10 millimetres across the day.
Stars have named an unchanged squad for the second successive game, meaning 16-year-old Hasrat Gill remains part of the group.
Melbourne Stars: Meg Lanning (unavailable - personal reasons), Alice Capsey, Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (c), Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Sophie Reid, Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Hasrat Gill, Olivia Henry
Sydney Thunder: Rachael Haynes (c), Sam Bates, Tammy Beaumont, Jess Davidson, Saskia Horley, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Amy Jones, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Olivia Porter, Lauren Smith, Lea Tahuhu, Belinda Vakarewa, Tahlia Wilson
Phoebe Litchfield [Chris Hyde/Getty Images]
Melbourne Stars: Jemimah Rodrigues, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Alice Capsey, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland, Nicole Faltum, Sasha Moloney, Tess Flintoff, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Day, Kim Garth
Sydney Thunder: Tammy Beaumont, Phoebe Litchfield, Rachael Haynes, Amy Jones, Tahlia Wilson, Anika Learoyd, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Lea Tahuhu, Lauren Smith, Belinda Vakarewa, Samantha Bates
Thunder are the favourites to come out on top, with installed at 4/5 while Stars are available at evens.
Stars come into this game off the back of a win and expect them to make it successive victories against an out-of-sorts Thunder.
Yes. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults and free for children (under 15 years) and can be purchased on Ticketek.
Sky Sports holds the UK rights for the WBBL. This game will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 9am (BST).
In Australia, fans will be able to watch all 59 matches in the WBBL live and free on either the Seven Network or cricket.com.au
A total of 24 games will be televised on free-to-air on Seven and simulcast on Foxtel and Kayo, while the remaining 35 games will be shown on Foxtel and Kayo Sports and also live streamed for free on cricket.com.au.
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