We are down to the last set of matches for each team in the Big Bash League with them getting under way with a solitary game on Monday when the Adelaide Strikers host the Sydney Thunder in a massive game for both teams.
The equation is simple for both sides. Win and they are guaranteed a spot in the finals later in the week but lose and they will be sitting ducks for a number of teams to potentially overtake them in the final day of regular season action on Tuesday and knock them out of contention. The stakes are pretty high here.
Adelaide Strikers
These two met on Sunday and the Adelaide Strikers came out on top in a match they were second best in for probably 30 overs. That will give them a lot of confidence to go into this match because they know that if they are at their best here there is a good chance they will win the game. They were shackled quite badly with the bat although to be fair to the Strikers there was some seriously good bowling coming their way. Again to get over the line in that situation bodes really well for the Strikers.
The Strikers go into this match in an interesting position because although a win guarantees them a spot in the postseason, the Bash Boost point will do likewise so it will be interesting to see whether they play for the 10 over lead or if they are interested in the win itself. The win would see them finish in third spot in the table which technically offers up a slightly easier path in the finals but whichever way they decide to play the game they cannot afford to come away empty handed.
Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder will be extremely disappointed not to have got over the line on Sunday in a match which had they have won would have been enough to guarantee their spot in the finals with a game to spare. They have to get over that disappointment quickly though because they cannot afford to lose this one. Unlike their opponents here, the Thunder know that they have to win the match if they are going to guarantee their spot in the finals.
Clearly if Sydney are to turn around their fortunes in the space of 24hrs or so they are going to need their batsmen to convert a strong position. If that doesn’t happen they will be in trouble because you wouldn’t think it is possible to bowl as well as they did on Sunday again. That was one of the best T20 bowling performances I’ve ever seen and replicating that won’t be easy. You sense the Thunder will be a lot more comfortable if they can bat first and approach their innings with freedom.
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Team News
The Adelaide Strikers haven’t named a squad for this match at the time of writing but you would imagine they will go in with the same set of personnel. They might decide to bring the extra seamer in for Liam O’Connor though on a pitch that didn’t really spin on Sunday.
Sydney Thunder haven’t named a squad for this game either so there is an unknown whether Nathan McAndrew and Adam Milne will be fit to play after suffering blows to their hand on Sunday. McAndrew did come back out to bat which suggests he might be good. Chris Tremain is waiting in the wings if Milne isn’t good to go.
Betting
There is a chance that these two sides end up playing for two different things in this match so I fancy the Sydney Thunder are the team to be with in this one. The Adelaide Strikers may well be all about the Bash Boost point whereas the Thunder are the team who will be all focused on winning the game and were the Thunder to bat first and stick up a daunting 10 over total, it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that the Strikers have to lose some wickets in chasing it down.
The only time the Strikers will be hell bent on winning the game is if they don’t pick up that Bash Boost point but unless Sydney have put up a completely unassailable total you would think the only reason they don’t get it is if they lose wickets in which case they may be struggling to win the game anyway with the length of their tail. If the Thunder do put up that unassailable 10 over score the chances are the 20 over total will be out of reach too so knowing that the Thunder will be out to win the game rather than lead through 10 overs has me backing them.
Tips
WON – Back Sydney Thunder to beat Adelaide Strikers for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with William Hill
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