Eleven wins each from 22 games: the Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder head to head is as level as a Big Bash rivalry gets, and not one tie or washout has interrupted it since 17 Dec 2011.
The most recent game, in Canberra on 28 Dec 2025, went to the Stars by 9 wickets after the Thunder were held to 128. That win ended a run of five straight Thunder victories. The Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder stats below cover every meeting.
Streaks, close finishes and the chasing edge
For a series that ends up level, it has moved in long runs. Three Stars wins in successive seasons from 2012-13 were matched by three Thunder wins in the seasons that followed. The Stars were strongest around 2019-20, when they won all 3 meetings, and they took both again in 2021-22. Then came the Thunder’s best spell: five wins in a row between 13 Dec 2022 and 22 Jan 2025, starting with a 1-wicket win in Canberra and a 3-wicket win at the MCG.
Batting second has paid: 14 wins for the chasers, 8 for the team setting a target, with opening innings averaging just 156. A total in the 150s has usually been chased.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground has hosted 8 games, split 4 each. Manuka Oval suits the Thunder better, 4 wins to 2, and that is where they made 219/7 on 29 Dec 2020, the highest total and the base for the biggest win, by 75 runs.
Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder Head to Head in the BBL
| Matches | Melbourne Stars won | Sydney Thunder won | Tied | No result | First meeting | Latest meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 17 Dec 2011 | 28 Dec 2025 |
Stars vs Thunder Results by Season
| Season | Matches | Melbourne Stars won | Sydney Thunder won | Tied/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011-12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Most Runs in Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder Matches
| Batter | M | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MP Stoinis Melbourne Stars | 16 | 16 | 430 | 83 | 28.67 | 124.64 | 0 | 4 |
| GJ Maxwell Melbourne Stars | 16 | 16 | 378 | 59* | 31.50 | 135.97 | 0 | 1 |
| NCR Larkin Melbourne Stars | 10 | 10 | 326 | 83* | 65.20 | 128.85 | 0 | 3 |
| AI Ross Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 269 | 77* | 44.83 | 138.66 | 0 | 2 |
| AD Hales Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 245 | 71 | 27.22 | 137.64 | 0 | 1 |
| UT Khawaja Sydney Thunder | 9 | 9 | 241 | 70 | 26.78 | 139.31 | 0 | 1 |
| KP Pietersen Melbourne Stars | 4 | 4 | 213 | 74 | 71.00 | 165.12 | 0 | 3 |
| M Gilkes Sydney Thunder | 8 | 8 | 204 | 56 | 25.50 | 115.25 | 0 | 1 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 14 | 14 | 196 | 42 | 15.08 | 137.06 | 0 | 0 |
| HWR Cartwright Melbourne Stars | 9 | 9 | 186 | 42 | 23.25 | 130.99 | 0 | 0 |
Most Wickets in Stars vs Thunder Matches
| Bowler | M | Inns | Wkts | Best | Avg | Econ | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Zampa Melbourne Stars | 13 | 13 | 21 | 3/25 | 17.38 | 7.30 | 0 |
| CJ Green Sydney Thunder | 16 | 16 | 20 | 4/34 | 18.50 | 7.40 | 0 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 14 | 14 | 19 | 4/33 | 21.63 | 8.68 | 0 |
| Haris Rauf Melbourne Stars | 5 | 5 | 12 | 3/17 | 9.42 | 5.95 | 0 |
| N McAndrew Sydney Thunder | 10 | 10 | 11 | 5/16 | 21.64 | 7.29 | 1 |
| BJ Webster Melbourne Stars | 4 | 4 | 10 | 4/29 | 9.80 | 6.53 | 0 |
| T Sangha Sydney Thunder | 7 | 7 | 10 | 2/17 | 17.90 | 7.16 | 0 |
| NM Coulter-Nile Melbourne Stars | 7 | 7 | 9 | 3/19 | 19.44 | 6.48 | 0 |
| MP Stoinis Melbourne Stars | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3/30 | 19.75 | 8.32 | 0 |
| GS Sandhu Sydney Thunder | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2/23 | 33.62 | 8.11 | 0 |
Highest individual scores
| Batter | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DA Warner Sydney Thunder | 102* | 51 | 6 | 6 | 17 Dec 2011 |
| NCR Larkin Melbourne Stars | 83* | 49 | 9 | 3 | 6 Feb 2020 |
| MP Stoinis Melbourne Stars | 83 | 54 | 7 | 3 | 6 Feb 2020 |
| AI Ross Sydney Thunder | 77* | 49 | 4 | 4 | 12 Dec 2021 |
| KP Pietersen Melbourne Stars | 74 | 39 | 4 | 5 | 24 Jan 2016 |
Best bowling figures
| Bowler | Figures | Overs | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| N McAndrew Sydney Thunder | 5/16 | 4 | 22 Jan 2025 |
| BJ Webster Melbourne Stars | 4/29 | 4 | 23 Dec 2023 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 4/33 | 4 | 23 Dec 2023 |
| CJ Green Sydney Thunder | 4/34 | 4 | 29 Dec 2020 |
| DR Sams Sydney Thunder | 3/5 | 2 | 21 Dec 2018 |
Highest team totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Thunder | 219/7 | 20 | Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 29 Dec 2020 |
| Melbourne Stars | 194/2 | 20 | Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 6 Feb 2020 |
| Sydney Thunder | 182/8 | 20 | Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 28 Dec 2024 |
| Sydney Thunder | 181/7 | 19.3 | Melbourne Stars | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 24 Jan 2016 |
| Sydney Thunder | 181/5 | 20 | Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 21 Dec 2018 |
Lowest totals
| Team | Total | Overs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Stars | 114 | 18 | Sydney Thunder | Sydney Showground Stadium | 22 Jan 2025 |
| Sydney Thunder | 128 | 20 | Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 28 Dec 2025 |
| Sydney Thunder | 132 | 19.4 | Melbourne Stars | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 8 Jan 2013 |
| Melbourne Stars | 144 | 19.5 | Sydney Thunder | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 29 Dec 2020 |
| Melbourne Stars | 172 | 20 | Sydney Thunder | Lavington Sports Oval, Albury | 23 Dec 2023 |
Biggest wins
| Result | Format | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Thunder won by 75 runs | T20 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 29 Dec 2020 |
| Melbourne Stars won by 28 runs | T20 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 6 Feb 2020 |
| Melbourne Stars won by 22 runs | T20 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 12 Dec 2020 |
| Melbourne Stars won by 9 wickets | T20 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | 28 Dec 2025 |
| Melbourne Stars won by 8 wickets | T20 | Sydney Showground Stadium | 17 Jan 2015 |
| Melbourne Stars won by 8 wickets | T20 | Carrara Oval | 5 Jan 2019 |
Most player of the match awards
| Player | Awards |
|---|---|
| NCR Larkin Melbourne Stars | 3 |
| Haris Rauf Melbourne Stars | 2 |
| DA Warner Sydney Thunder | 1 |
| CH Gayle Sydney Thunder | 1 |
| BJ Hodge Melbourne Stars | 1 |
| KP Pietersen Melbourne Stars | 1 |
Grounds Where the Stars and Thunder Have Met
| Ground | Matches | Melbourne Stars won | Sydney Thunder won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Cricket Ground | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Manuka Oval | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Sydney Showground Stadium | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Stadium Australia, Sydney | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Carrara Oval | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lavington Sports Oval, Albury | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Latest Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder Results
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Dec 2025 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Melbourne Stars won by 9 wickets |
| 22 Jan 2025 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Sydney Thunder won by 21 runs (DLS) |
| 28 Dec 2024 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Sydney Thunder won by 18 runs |
| 23 Dec 2023 | Lavington Sports Oval, Albury | Sydney Thunder won by 5 wickets |
| 25 Jan 2023 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Sydney Thunder won by 3 wickets |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Sydney Thunder won by 1 wicket |
| 12 Dec 2021 | Sydney Showground Stadium | Melbourne Stars won by 6 wickets |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Melbourne Stars won by 4 runs |
| 29 Dec 2020 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Sydney Thunder won by 75 runs |
| 12 Dec 2020 | Manuka Oval, Canberra | Melbourne Stars won by 22 runs |
Stoinis, Larkin, Zampa and the player lists
Marcus Stoinis (Stars) has made the most runs, 430 over 16 visits to the crease, ahead of Glenn Maxwell on 378. Nick Larkin (Stars) has the best record of the regulars, 326 runs at 65.20, plus 3 match awards, more than anyone in this rivalry. On 6 Feb 2020 Larkin made 83* and Stoinis 83 as the Stars posted 194/2 at the MCG. Kevin Pietersen averaged 71.00 from just 4 innings for the Stars. Alex Ross is the Thunder’s top scorer with 269.
The highest score is still David Warner’s 102* off 51 balls for the Thunder in the first meeting, at the MCG in Dec 2011.
Adam Zampa (Stars) tops the bowling on 21 at 17.38, with Chris Green (Thunder) one behind on 20 and Daniel Sams (Thunder) on 19. Haris Rauf took 12 in only 5 games for the Stars at an average of 9.42. Nathan McAndrew’s 5/16 for the Thunder on 22 Jan 2025 is the standout spell; the Stars mustered only 114 that day, their poorest total against this opponent.
Club-wide numbers live on the record pages for Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder, and the Thunder’s Sydney derby is on Sixers vs Thunder.
Questions about Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder
Who has won more matches between Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder?
Nobody. It is 11 apiece from 22 BBL games since 17 Dec 2011, every one with a winner.
Who won the last Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder match?
The Stars, by 9 wickets at Manuka Oval on 28 Dec 2025. Before that the Thunder had won five straight.
Who has scored the most runs in Stars vs Thunder matches?
Marcus Stoinis of the Stars, 430 from 16 innings, best 83. Glenn Maxwell has 378 and Nick Larkin 326, while Alex Ross heads the Thunder list on 269.
What is the highest score in Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder games?
David Warner’s 102* for the Thunder on 17 Dec 2011 remains the top knock. As a team total, the Thunder’s 219/7 at Manuka Oval on 29 Dec 2020 has never been beaten here.
Is chasing better in Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder matches?
On this record, yes: 14 wins for the side batting second against 8 for the side batting first. First innings have averaged 156.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.