Steve O'Keefe may put Melbourne Stars in a spin

Sixers v Stars
BT Sport 2, 8.15am Thursday

Sydney Sixers host Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash and bookmakers are struggling to split two sides who have made patchy starts to this season's competition.

The injury-hit Stars lost their opening two games to the Thunder and the Renegades but they should be encouraged by the Sixers' disappointing display in the Sydney derby last time out.

England all-rounder Tom Curran took 3-24 and scored 62 off 40 balls but the Sixers lost by 21 runs despite that superb individual performance.

There has been plenty of fiery pace bowling on show in the early games of the Bash – Perth Scorchers' fast men routed Adelaide Strikers for just 88 on Wednesday – but spinner Steve O'Keefe looks a major threat with the new ball for the Sixers.

O'Keefe, who has seven Twenty20 caps for Australia, dismissed the Scorchers' top three batsmen in his first two overs of this term's Bash and followed up with 2-27 against the Thunder.

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