The second part of the double header of action in the Big Bash League sees the tournament heading to The Gabba for the first time this season as the Brisbane Heat take on the Adelaide Strikers in a bottom vs top clash.
The Heat are the only team in the competition without a point to their name but they have only played two matches. The Strikers have a 100% record from their three matches and will go clear at the top with a win here.
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat have played a couple of matches so far this season and been fairly well beaten in both of them. A big problem in both losses is they have run head first into an Andre Russell blitz and to be fair to them when he gets going there isn’t a huge amount that anyone can do about it. The Heat were much more competitive in the second of the two matches which is probably to be expected with them having Michael Neser back for it.
Even a hat trick from him wasn’t enough to sway the second contest in favour of the Heat but it isn’t how Brisbane bowl which is going to dictate their season, it is how they go with the bat given the focus and attention they put on their batting unit in the draft. All three overseas players are batters so that unit has to come to the party and they have to do it pretty quickly if Brisbane are to be competitive this season. They haven’t really shown up yet.
Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers have made a perfect start to the season. They have played three and won three and you can’t really argue that they have been tested in any of those matches. I guess that opens up the question of what might happen should a team put them under pressure or are able to go toe to toe with them but until we see a team do it we can just assume that Adelaide are playing so well that there isn’t a team able to.
A lot has been made about the Strikers’ strength with the ball and plenty of that is because of the star attraction that is Rashid Khan, but it is easy to ignore how well they are going with the bat. They have the top scorer in the competition in Matt Short while Chris Lynn, who might well be out to prove a point in this match having been released by the Brisbane Heat last season, is sat at fifth, so this is a very well-balanced Strikers side.
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Key Players
Sam Billings looked to be getting going with the bat in the last game but then got a ball which leapt up at him which he couldn’t control. His style suits The Gabba very well and the Heat could do with their overseas star going big here.
Matt Short is having a tremendous season so far. He is leading the way in it with the bat and he is also delivering the goods with the ball as well. He is playing a key role for the Adelaide Strikers and looks a key man here.
Betting
I expect the Adelaide Strikers to win this match but that is fully reflected in the odds so I’m going to go to a side market for a bet on the contest. That comes in the form of the wickets of Rashid Khan where you can get even money that he takes two or more wickets. That looks a massive price when you consider that in two matches against the Heat last season he took nine wickets – three in one match and six in the other.
Brisbane Heat have gone up against two overseas spinners in Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Akeal Hosein and so far have had eight overs of spin bowled at them and have lost 7/87 in those overs. Playing spin looks to be something Brisbane are still struggling with and although much was made about the state of the Test pitch here last week, I’m not expecting to see anything like as green a track here. Even if it is Rashid Khan will perform on it and if the Adelaide seamers keep things tight like they have been then someone is going to have to take Rashid Khan on and usually there is only one winner there. I’ll back him to pick up two wickets here.
Tips
Back R.Khan – Over 1.5 wickets for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with Bet365
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