There is a double header in the Big Bash League on Sunday with the opening game being quite an early start as the Hobart Hurricanes take on the Sydney Thunder in a key match for both teams as we head towards the closing stages of the regular season.
These two teams sit either side of the playoff line going into this match so this could have big implications on who will be around in the latter stages of the competition and who might be watching on from afar.
Hobart Hurricanes
To be fair to the Hobart Hurricanes, every other team in the competition have played more matches than they have and some have played two more so while they are outside the top five, should they win their games in hand they will move into the top four so there is no need for them to panic just yet but they do need to start winning matches. Four wins from their last five matches will be enough to put them in the finals but they won’t want to lose here and need to win out.
The problem the Hurricanes have is they haven’t won successive matches all season. They will attempt to do that for the first time here having beaten the Melbourne Stars last time out. Other than getting them a bit of confidence there isn’t much form to take from that win but it gives them something to build from. Although they won that match they fell over the line. Their bowlers turned up for that match and now it is time for their batters to do the same.
Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder are 5-5 for their season but the problem they have is their net run rate isn’t great so they are probably going to need to win all four remaining matches to guarantee their place in the finals. They might get in with three wins if they can find a bit win somewhere to address their negative run rate but as we highlighted ahead of their last game they are either excellent or very ordinary with little in between.
They were terrible against the Perth Scorchers and all of a sudden their batting looks to have left them. They can argue that it has failed them against the Sydney Sixers and the Scorchers who might well carry the two best bowling units in the competition but where the doubts creep in is that the batting has started to fail them at the exact same time some big players have left or got injured. Their bowling has struggled with the lack of runs they have had to defend.
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Key Players
Caleb Jewell is in excellent form and he could soon have the Sydney Thunder under pressure, especially if the Thunder have batted first and set the Hurricanes a comfortable score to chase. This attack doesn’t set up too badly for him.
Ollie Davies is probably the only batter who looks in any sort of form for the Sydney Thunder at the minute and unless some of his teammates come to the party here then the Thunder are going to need him to keep on delivering the goods.
Betting
It is never easy betting on a match where the two participants are so inconsistent. I was looking at backing the Hobart Hurricanes but in truth they look a little on the short side at around the 8/11 mark. I just think they have more matchwinners in their ranks who are in the sort of form to win the match for their team but I’ve been around T20 betting for long enough to know that it only takes one good shot to turn things around for a player.
I will go with one player to deliver the goods though and that is for Matthew Wade to score more than 21.5 runs. He has a decent enough record against the Sydney Thunder with 67 against them earlier this season and 83* in the one match he had against them last season. He bats at three for this Hobart team and if Caleb Jewell keeps up his good form then he can build his way into his innings when he gets into bat. We know the boundaries here are within range so he won’t need to bat for an ocean of time to get to 22 so I like the over here.
Tips
Back M.Wade – Over 21.5 runs for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
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