The Big Bash League remains in Canberra on Wednesday when two of the sides currently outside the top five threshold meet as the Brisbane Heat take on the Melbourne Renegades in what is yet another key game in the competition.
The Heat are a team on the rise and a win here will move them into the top five. At the minute the Renegades are out of contention but a couple of wins with the Bash Boost point could easily get them back in the mix. That needs to start here though.
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat saw a run of three successive wins end last time out when they were nailed at the death by a Daniel Christian blitz. That was against the league leaders Sydney Sixers and there aren’t many sides who are beating them at the minute so we shouldn’t condemn the Heat on the back of that loss. There were one or two things that the defeat threw up but it feels a little harsh to judge them against the team the table suggests are the best team in the competition.
The Heat batsmen got caught out in the previous game and that is something they will need to ensure doesn’t happen again here. Even after struggling with the bat, their bowlers had got them right back in the game until they ran full steam into the blitz from Christian. That should act as a reminder to perform better at the end of the match as that wasn’t the first game they have lost their grip of late on.
Melbourne Renegades
Clearly everyone is aware that this has been a wretched season for the Melbourne Renegades but there was a glimmer of hope offered to them last time out when they chased down a decent total to see off the Adelaide Strikers. They have had the best part of a week since then to get themselves focused and ready to build on that win and attempt to start a run of at least four wins from their last five matches, which could yet be enough to get them through to the finals.
If they are going to make it through they are going to have to keep batting well. That chase last time out was quite surprising because three times in this tournament they have been bowled out for less than 100. None of that matters now though if they build on their effort last time out. If they can tighten up with the ball a little bit as well then that will certainly take some of the heat away from their batsmen, which might be no bad thing.
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Team News
The Brisbane Heat have lost the services of Mujeeb Ur Rahman who has gone off on international duty now. Morne Morkel has completed all the quarantine and is up to speed and he has taken his place in the squad here.
Melbourne Renegades have also lost an international player in Mohammad Nabi. They haven’t replaced him with another overseas player but Shaun Marsh is back after missing some games for the birth of his child.
Betting
I’ll go with a couple of bets in this match. The first of them is over 10.5 sixes. We saw on Wednesday just how small this Manuka Oval ground is and these two teams have attacks that can go the distance on it. There is no mystery spinner around with Mujeeb off on international duty so batsmen will be able to see ball hit ball. With the likes of Chris Lynn, Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Max Bryant, Lewis Gregory and others on show we certainly don’t lack for hitters. You wouldn’t say either of these two teams are particularly good at the death so I’m expecting to see a lot of runs, boundaries and sixes. I’ll play the over here.
Given how well Jake Fraser-McGurk went in the run chase in Adelaide last time out I’m hoping he has earned an elevation up the order to take the number four spot which Nabi had in that match. If he does get that then the 9/1 on him top scoring in this match looks on the big side, particularly if Shaun Marsh doesn’t hit the ground running on his return after a couple of weeks out of the team. Aaron Finch is clearly going to come to life at some point too and it might be that he explodes here but Fraser-McGurk is three times the price of the opening pair but has shown his worth whereas the other two have doubts hanging over them. I’ll take the youngster here.
Tips
Back Over 10.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
Back it here:
Back J.Fraser-McGurk Top Melbourne Renegades Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 with Coral
Back him here:
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