The Big Bash League season comes to a close on Saturday when the Perth Scorchers will look to complete a successful defence of their title when they take on the Brisbane Heat in the final of the tournament at Optus Stadium.
The Scorchers were the first team into the final when they beat the Sydney Sixers last weekend, while the Heat secured their spot in the title showdown when they overcame the same opposition as recently as Thursday.
Perth Scorchers
I always think it is the sign of a champion team when they can perform somewhere near their best when the pressure is at its highest. We already knew Perth Scorchers were a top team from the history they have in the competition but we got a timely reminder of that fact when they saw off the Sydney Sixers from a position of real difficulty in the Qualifier match last weekend. That leaves them a win away from successfully defending the title.
It wasn’t the best performance from the Scorchers last week. It is never an ideal situation when faced with a tricky run chase you lose three key batters inside the powerplay but teams who are used to winning find a way to navigate those situations and come out on top and then draw confidence from it. With a bowler or two returning to the ranks for this final the Perth Scorchers look in a good place heading into the contest.
Brisbane Heat
When they lost their last match of the regular season, the Brisbane Heat knew that they would have to win four matches on the road to win this title having finished fifth in the table. They have navigated the first three of those encounters but now face what I think it is fair to say will be their toughest test. If they are able to come through this match it will send the title back to Brisbane for the first time since BBL2, the last time they made it through to the final.
Credit has to be given to the Heat. To go on the road and play and win so many matches in such quick succession is one thing, but to lose three key players halfway through the run and still keep on winning is quite something else. Their bowlers have been in good form over the last week or so, and you would imagine they will need to be here too. What makes Brisbane dangerous is they have a couple of batters who is one or both of them come off they could put up a daunting score.
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Key Players
Ashton Turner showed why he is the captain of the Perth Scorchers in the Qualifier match. With his team in trouble he steadied the ship and then powered them through to the final and his experience and calm head might be needed here.
Josh Brown is capable of fireworks at the top of the order for Brisbane Heat and you would imagine they will need a leg up from the opener to get themselves into this final as if they let the Scorchers bowling get on top early there might be no coming back.
Betting
You would have to say the cards have gone completely against the Brisbane Heat here. To be fair, once Perth Scorchers won the Qualifier, whoever they were going to meet in the final was facing a losing battle because they would finish their match on Thursday night and then need to fly to Perth to compete in another contest less than 48 hours later in a different time zone. Add in a sold out home crowd and a Scorchers side who are adept at winning these big matches and the only case you can make for Brisbane is if a Brown has a day out with the bat or a Neser bowls the spell of his life with the ball.
It might not be so bad if there was anything convincing about the Brisbane win over the Sydney Sixers in the Challenger on Thursday but in truth there was little that was convincing about it in the run chase. Perth are renowned for peaking in the big matches and they have had a week to prepare for this final. They won the final last year by 79 runs against a crack hot Sixers side and five of that winning XI are likely to be playing for the Scorchers in this match. It would be helpful had Jhye Richardson recovered from injury but there is enough in the Perth attack in the likes of Jason Behrendorff, Andrew Tye and David Payne to get the job done. Perth have won by seven wickets with 21 balls to spare against the Heat here this season and then by eight wickets with 22 balls remaining at The Gabba. I expect a similar level beating for a Heat side for whom this just feels one game too many.
Tips
Back Perth Scorchers (-4.5wickets/19.5runs) to beat Brisbane Heat for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Bet365
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