The Adelaide Strikers will look to defend the title they won last season but as ever when you are the champions they will be the hunted side and it will be interesting to see what they have in their locker and whether they have any improvement, of it they allow sides to catch up with them a little bit. International call ups look set to rock them this term so they will have their work cut out if they are going to defend the crown.
Stats
Last Season: Champions
Captain: Travis Head
Overseas Players: Colin Ingram & Rashid Khan
Key Player: Rashid Khan
Best Odds: 11/2 Skybet
Predicted Finishing Position: 2nd
Fixtures
Wednesday December 19 – Brisbane Heat (a)
Sunday December 23 – Melbourne Renegades (h)
Wednesday December 26 – Perth Scorchers (a)
Monday December 31 – Sydney Thunder (h)
Thursday January 3 – Melbourne Renegades (a)
Sunday January 6 – Sydney Sixers (h)
Friday January 11 – Melbourne Stars (h)
Sunday January 13 – Sydney Thunder (a)
Monday January 21 – Hobart Hurricanes (h)
Wednesday January 23 – Melbourne Stars (a)
Tuesday January 29 – Sydney Sixers (a)
Thursday January 31 – Hobart Hurricanes (a)
Sunday February 3 – Brisbane Heat (h)
Saturday February 9 – Perth Scorchers (h)
Squad
Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Michael Cormack, David Grant, Travis Head, Colin Ingram (South Africa), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Liam O’Connor, Peter Siddle, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Jake Weatherald, Jonathan Wells, Cameron Valente, Nick Winter
Preview
This is a big season for the Adelaide Strikers. They will be under much more intense scrutiny than ever before but with international call ups likely to rob them of two of their three run scorers from last season in Travis Head and Alex Carey for much of the campaign they are going to need a lot more from the batsmen who remain.
The positive is that they look to have all bases covered with the ball. Rashid Khan is without doubt the standout bowler in the game at the minute while Billy Stanlake, Peter Siddle and Ben Laughlin all have good qualities in this format of the game. If they can dig enough runs out when Head and Carey are away they should put up a very strong defence of their title. I think their bowlers can get them into the playoffs but I fancy one side might be too good for them.
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Betting
I expect Rashid Khan to be the leading Adelaide Strikers bowler this season but I’m in no rush to tie up money on a 5/4 shot for two months so that market isn’t for me. If he was to pick up an injury it might be one to revisit down the line but my attention right now is going to be on the batting market.
Travis Head isn’t going to be around enough to be a factor and Alex Carey is going to miss matches too. If Colin Ingram wasn’t captain I’d be all over him at 3/1 but I just wonder if Jono Wells is going to get a bigger role to play in this side. If he is, especially when Carey is away, then the 20/1 on him top scoring for the Strikers could be a shade big. Wells actually averages more than 25 in this format of the game which is not too shabby so if he sees enough time at the crease that 20/1 could look daft. A couple of big scores in the middle of the innings and then a rise in the order could easily see him threaten. He isn’t the most likely winner but there is a scenario where he isn’t a 20/1 shot. I’ll pay and see.
Tips
WON – Back J.Wells Top Adelaide Strikers Season Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with 888sport
Back him here:
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