It is postseason time in the Big Bash League campaign and we begin with the Eliminator on Friday when the Adelaide Strikers take on the Hobart Hurricanes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a clash against the Sydney Thunder awaiting the winner.
This is knockout cricket with the winners progressing to Sunday and the losers watching the remainder of the tournament from their sofas so there is everything on the line in this postseason opener.
Adelaide Strikers
It was only nine days ago that the Adelaide Strikers looked like they were going absolutely nowhere this season but all of a sudden a spark was lit and they finished the regular season with a flourish. They won their final four matches, done both in setting scores and chasing them down, so they will be feeling pretty good about their chances heading into the playoffs even though they know they have to win four games in succession if they are going to be crowned champions once again.
The big thing for the Strikers was that their batting came good at the right time and now they get arguably their two best batters back so they are going to go into this Eliminator looking as strong as they have at any stage of the season to date. The only disappointment they will have now is that they are not able to play this match on their home ground. Three of those four wins were at the Adelaide Oval so they’ll need to adjust to conditions quickly.
Hobart Hurricanes
It has been a bit of a mixed bag for the Hobart Hurricanes in recent times. They won their second and third last matches of the regular season to setup their place in this contest but then got absolutely wiped out in their last game and that surely has to have some bearing on this match. They will rightfully state that they rested the majority of their importance bowlers but it can’t be good to lose a match by more than 100 runs just two days before a massive game like this.
Although one or two more players are beginning to put their hand up and be counted, I still have concerns that it is Ben McDermott or an innings of struggle for the Hurricanes. Were he to go early you just wonder how the rest would play a knockout scenario. The bowlers who did play on Wednesday who feature here can’t exactly be carrying much in the way of confidence into battle with them which would be another issue.
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Team News
It has been confirmed that the Adelaide Strikers will have Alex Carey and Travis Head back from Australia duty for this match. Ian Cockbain continues his stint as overseas player with Peter Siddle continuing to captain the side despite the return of Head.
Hobart Hurricanes will have Scott Boland available for the first time since he joined up with the Australia Test squad. Riley Meredith and Tom Rogers will also come back into the side but Sandeep Lamichhane has departed for international duty. Nathan Ellis remains injured.
Betting
I would have fancied the Adelaide Strikers for this match anyway purely on the form grounds but I think when you add in the fact that they have two excellent players back in Alex Carey and Travis Head it is hard not to like the Strikers in this one. Carey in particular is a big player for the Strikers because they have lacked a quality option at the top of the batting order throughout the season, whereas Head was just named the Player of the Series in The Ashes.
Hobart Hurricanes get Scott Boland back but they lose a key bowler in return and I just can’t get over the size of the margin they lost by on Wednesday. There has to be some lingering hangover in that. Adelaide won the last time these two played and I always like a side who is going into this stage of the season in the better form. There is no disputing they are in better form right now and so I like Adelaide to win this one.
Tips
WON – Back Adelaide Strikers to beat Hobart Hurricanes for a 3/10 stake at 1.77 with Bet365
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