The Big Bash League is back in Perth on Wednesday for what is actually a huge clash between the defending champions Perth Scorchers and a Hobart Hurricanes who are fighting hard to make it through to the playoffs.
The Scorchers are battling with the Sixers for top spot in the table and the guarantee of hosting the final if they win the first qualifier. Hobart have got themselves into the top five and will want to keep winning to try and stay there.
Perth Scorchers
The Perth Scorchers have won eight of their 11 matches but they will be frustrated to lose to the Sydney Sixers at the weekend as that match presented them with the chance to lay a marker down to what looks to be their closest rivals for the title once again, and also to put distance between themselves and Sydney in that race for top spot. Even though they lost that game, Perth know if they win their last three regular season matches they will finish top of the table.
I think it is fair to say that their bowling attack is just beginning to creek at the edges. That is understandable when you consider the injuries they have got and are dealing with. Usually their batting has been able to bail them out but they were not able to get over the line in Sydney. We usually see from elite sporting sides a positive reaction to losing and it will be interesting to see what the Scorchers offer up here.
Hobart Hurricanes
The Hobart Hurricanes finally won successive matches for the first time this season when they beat the Sydney Thunder at the weekend and they need to keep on winning if they are going to extend their campaign. Three wins from their last four matches will see them into the knockout stages so they don’t have to win but if they don’t win this one then they will put themselves under a lot of pressure for their final three matches.
The key to those two victories in recent times was their bowlers. In both matches they got stuck in early and never really let the opposition build anything in their batting innings. The concern would be that on both occasions their batters tried their best to lose from a very strong position. They ell over the line against the Stars and might not have got home at all against the Thunder but for an excellent innings from Tim David.
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Key Players
Steve Eskinazi has been one of the best players in the T20 Blast for the last couple of seasons and the Perth Scorchers saw that in Sydney, albeit in a losing effort. The Scorchers fans will hope to see that on their home ground here.
Tim David played the innings he has become famous and hugely sought after around the world for against the Sydney Thunder. If he can finish the regular season in top form then Hobart are going to be hard to keep out of the top five.
Betting
I wouldn’t usually play the sixes on this ground but a 9.5 line is too tempting here with the big hitters that we have on display. There is so much power on show that even the square boundaries aren’t safe here and if a couple of Ben McDermott, Caleb Jewell, Tim David, Asif Ali, Ashton Turner, Aaron Hardie or Josh Inglis get going then we know the sixes will come because they all look to take the game to the bowling.
The Perth bowling unit has just started to creak at the seams which isn’t great from there point of view but it should allow some of these Hobart batters to get after them and while one or two Hobart bowlers have enhanced their reputation in the tournament there are a couple of links who can seriously go around the park. Perth are a dangerous batting side here as they have already secured a finals spot and that can help them play with a bit of freedom and send us into double figures for sixes.
Tips
Back Over 9.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with BetVictor
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