Big Bash League preview: Melbourne Stars team guide

Last season was a fruitful one for the Melbourne Stars. They finished fourth on regular season standings with seven wins and seven losses then made it to the final, but lost to city rivals, the Melbourne Renegades. As expected, the team are hopeful that this will be their year and some fresh blood might be enough to give them the boost required to conquer the BBL.

Live stream BBL|09 on Kayo: Start your 14-day FREE trial now

In the off-season, the Melbourne Stars signed South African superstar Dale Steyn, but he will only be available for the first six matches. However, he might be able to give the Stars an edge at the start of their BBL|09 campaign. There's also a new head coach in former captain David Hussey, who signed a two-year deal, succeeding Stephen Fleming.

How to watch Melbourne Stars BBL matches

Cricket fans can watch Melbourne Stars matches live and free. While some games are on Channel 7, only Kayo and Foxtel have all matches live, courtesy of Fox Cricket. We have a comprehensive guide on how to watch the BBL.

Live stream BBL via Kayo Sports

You can follow the Stars closely with Kayo Sports, which offers extensive cricket coverage. A Basic subscription costs $25/month and lets you watch on two screens at the same time, while a Premium subscription supports three simultaneous streams and will set you back $35/month. Either way, a 14-day free trial is available for new customers.

Besides a generous content library, Kayo Sports also offers a wide range of exciting features that make sports streaming a breeze. For instance, you can watch up to four videos at once on the same screen with SplitView. Read our full Kayo Sports review for more information. The platform is accessible via web, mobile devices, Android TV, Apple TV, Telstra TV and Chromecast.

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Watch Melbourne Stars on Foxtel

To watch Melbourne Stars matches live on TV with Foxtel you will need the Sports HD pack, which is available on top of the basic Foxtel Plus. A subscription will also get you the iQ4, the telco's advanced set-top box that lets you record live TV and enjoy content in crisp 4K quality. You can also stream matches to your laptop or mobile device with the Foxtel GO app, available free with your subscription.

Alternatively, you can follow Melbourne Stars with Foxtel Now, as long as you have the Sport channel pack. It costs $29/month on top of the base Essentials channel pack, which is $25/month. New users get a 10-day free trial. You can access Foxtel Now via laptops and mobile devices with the Foxtel GO app, as well as on selected smart TVs, Chromecast/Airplay, Telstra TV, PS4, Samsung TVs (2018 model or later) and the Foxtel Now box.

Melbourne Stars schedule

The Melbourne Stars start the new BBL season facing off against Brisbane Heat on Friday 20 December. Here are the team's upcoming fixtures for BBL|09, be sure to read the full Big Bash schedule too:

Melbourne Stars squad

Besides signing Dale Steyn, the Stars also brought in Nathan Coulter-Nile, Hilton Cartwright and Clint Hinchliffe from the Scorchers. Meanwhile, Dwayne Bravo retired and Glenn Maxwell will be back to lead the team following a mental health break. Here's how the squad looks ahead of the BBL|09 season:

Melbourne Stars history

One of the only two teams to have never won the BBL, the Melbourne Stars play their home matches at the MCG, which also happens to be the largest cricket stadium in the world.

The Stars were runners-up in BBL|08 and BBL|05. They finished the regular season first during BBL|03 and their worst season was BBL|07, when they came last.

Being based in the same city, they have a well-known rivalry against Melbourne Renegades, with the Melbourne Derby gathering impressive crowds every time.

Image source: Kayo Sports website