We have a double header in the Big Bash League on Friday as we hit the latter stages of the regular league phase. It begins in Melbourne when the Hobart Hurricanes take on the Perth Scorchers in a massive clash for both teams.
The Hurricanes revived their campaign last time out with a huge win over the Sydney Thunder but still aren’t in the top five so they need to keep on performing. The Perth Scorchers have surged up to second now but five teams are within three points of them so they also need to keep winning.
Hobart Hurricanes
The Hobart Hurricanes snapped a three match losing streak last time out when they put together one of the best run chases in the competition. The task now is to build on that because they are going to need at least two more wins from their final three matches if they are going to make it through to the playoffs and with a match against the runaway leaders Sydney Sixers in there they could probably do with victory here.
The Hurricanes were indebted to Ben McDermott who has been their star of the series with the bat. To be fair to them they bowled pretty well in the main, although they did let the Thunder get away from them late on in their bowling innings. That didn’t matter in the end though as a wonderful knock from McDermott got them over the line. If he keeps his form up and a couple of the bigger hitters find their best stuff the Hurricanes remain huge dangers in the competition.
Perth Scorchers
They always say in these franchise competitions that it is not how you start them but how you finish them and the Perth Scorchers look to be showing exactly what they mean. They had a wretched start to their campaign but have picked up remarkably since then and go into this match off the back of a run of six wins from their last seven matches. Nobody in the competition is surging like they are and if they maintain that form for another few days they will not just be in the finals but they’ll secure a top two position to give themselves a smoother route through them.
Their batting struggled earlier in the season but they arrival of the two English openers has made a big difference and they have been batting beautifully for a while now. If they maintain their form then the three-time champions will be out for another title success. Their bowling has been a little more in and out recently but I’m going to give them that because it can’t be easy to be on top form regularly with these new rules.
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Team News
The Hobart Hurricanes will be significantly strengthened by their two returning Test players Matthew Wade and Tim Paine. Wade will skipper the side and he’ll open the batting, potentially in place of Will Jacks. Tim Paine could come in for Peter Handscomb.
The Perth Scorchers were expected to miss Mitch Marsh for much of the remainder of the campaign but he has actually been named in the squad here. He will have to pass a fitness test in order to feature but will most likely come in for Cameron Bancroft if he is passed fit.
Betting
I’m expecting an entertaining contest here. I say that because these are two of the best batting sides in the competition, not just this season but over a few seasons. Hobart have gone well with the bat already this season and get two key cogs to their batting wheel back for this match while Perth could also have some extra batting quality in their ranks should Mitch Marsh pass his fitness test, so I’m expecting to see the runs build up in this game.
The runs line here is 319.5 which is a little lower than I would have it. The Perth attack is decent enough but they are going to have to bowl well to restrict a team that could have the Australian Test captain coming in as low as eight. Two of the four innings on this ground have been 160 or more this season, including the 174/5 that Perth posted. I think both sides will see 160 as par for the course with the batting depth that they have and the rules which benefit bigger totals. I like the over here.
Tips
Back Over 319.5 runs for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with Bet365
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