We have another match in the Big Bash League on Friday and it comes from the Adelaide Oval where the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Stars meet with the aim of both sides to pick up their first win of the campaign.
The Strikers looked like they were set to win their opening match but they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory whereas the Stars have been well beaten in both of their contests so something has to give in this one.
Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers went into the season looking to continue where they left off last term where they flew home from the clouds to reach the postseason and come within a couple of wins of the title. That plan immediately hit the skids when they went down to the Sydney Thunder in their first match in what could be a really damaging defeat given how in control they were in the match so deep into the contest. They need to show plenty of character here.
The big issue that I had with the Strikers going into the match was that their batting order looked a batter light. That immediately looked to be the case but to be fair to them their lower order showed that they can get them out of a hole and that is no bad thing. The decision to bowl a spinner in the penultimate over against the Thunder looked a risky move that didn’t need to be taken and they paid the price for it and some so a bit of better game management will be needed here.
Melbourne Stars
The record of the Melbourne Stars in this tournament has been no better than ordinary for a long period of time and there has been nothing in their opening two matches which suggests that anything is going to change this time around. They have been beaten with 17 balls remaining and 11 remaining and although admittedly they lost to the reigning champions and the best team in the history of the tournament, at no stage did they suggest they have made sufficient improvements.
The Stars haven’t really maximised their batting efforts which has been a problem. You already sense if they are going to win matches they are going to have to bowl first and chase a score down rather than set a score where their bowling can go around the park and they are unable to pull things back. Glenn Maxwell is back for this match which should see the Stars improve but they will need him to hit the ground running certainly with the bat but possibly with the ball too.
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Key Players
Jamie Overton delivered a really good overseas player display in the opening game and he didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. Adelaide Strikers will hope that he can put in another strong performance and lead them to victory.
It is abundantly clear that the Melbourne Stars have missed Glenn Maxwell but he is back here and the Stars will need their former captain to deliver something close to his best form if he is going to give them a chance of winning at the third time of asking.
Betting
I have to say I’m not a massive fan of trusting either of these two teams. If I was pushed to back one of these teams I would go with the Adelaide Strikers but they are a batter light for me and I wouldn’t want to be relying on them and then they lose a couple of wickets up top and that puts the pressure on them from the get go. I really don’t like the Stars but rather than trust a team I have little faith in I’m going to head to a side market which is the sixes.
If you shop around the bookmakers you can get a 9.5 line which just looks very low for a match at the Adelaide Oval. I would expect this to be covered at the best of times but there isn’t really much in either bowling attack to worry about. We’ve seen enough from both sides in this fledgling campaign to have seen that Adelaide are going to go after the bowling. Matt Short got out having a right old mow in the first game while the Stars are looking to do that too. There is a lot of firepower on show here and I expect the sixes count to make its way into double figures.
Tips
Back Over 9.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Boylesports
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