Melbourne Stars’ marquee man Kevin Pietersen isn’t expecting hostility from the Adelaide crowd in the Big Bash League opener on Thursday night.

The Stars meet the Adelaide Strikers at Adelaide Oval, a ground which Pietersen adores.

“The Adelaide crowd has always been amazing – it’s the other parts of the country which I have copped a lot more,” Pietersen said.

“The Adelaide crowd are a very knowledgeable crowd, they love their cricket here. I have got on really well with the Adelaide crowd, they’re very respectful.

“T20 is entertainment. There’s going to be lots of kids – it’s an entertainment package.

“So I’m here to enjoy, to entertain, to have some fun, to try and score some runs to help the team get over the line.

“I’m not here as the enemy though, that is for sure.”

The polarising Englishman features in a Stars outfit carrying favouritism to win the BBL, as they have in previous editions.

But the Stars have yet to deliver a title, a fact not lost on the Strikers’ star signing, West Indian Kieron Pollard.

“How many years have they been favourites? They have always had a good team on paper,” Pollard said.

“It’s going to be a keenly contested match. And whoever panics less and does the basics right will come out on top. Hopefully it’s Adelaide.”

Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars

Date: Thursday 18 December 2014

Location: Adelaide Oval

Gate Opening Time: 5.00pm

Match Start Time: 7.10pm

Adelaide Strikers’ 13-man squad v Stars

Johan Botha (C) (South Africa)
Brad Hodge(VC)
Travis Head
Hamish Kingston
Ben Laughlin
Trent Lawford
Tim Ludeman
Kieron Pollard (West Indies)
Kane Richardson
Alex Ross
Craig Simmons
Shaun Tait
Adam Zampa

Melbourne Stars’ 13-man squad v Strikers

Cameron White (C )
Michael Beer
Jackson Bird
Scott Boland
James Faulkner
John Hastings
David Hussey
Glenn Maxwell
Kevin Pietersen (England)
Clive Rose
Tom Triffitt
Daniel Worrall
Luke Wright (England)