The Big Bash League is back in Melbourne on Friday when the Melbourne Renegades look to save their season when they go up against the Adelaide Strikers who are looking to kick their campaign into life after barely playing a match so far.
The Renegades have played five and lost the four matches which were completed while the Strikers have only played three times and have a win and a defeat on their ledger as well as a washout so both teams could do with winning this.
Melbourne Renegades
With the additions that the Melbourne Renegades made at the beginning of the season this was expected to be the campaign where they kicked on and showed that they can launch a title challenge but they have hit the halfway mark of the campaign and it has been completely the opposite. They have lost the four matches that have been completed so the only point they have to show for their efforts was the one picked up when the Geelong wicket wasn’t fit for purpose.
The big additions for the Renegades were with the ball but it is in that department where they have struggled so far this season and they really need to sharpen up in that area if they are going to keep their campaign alive. It might be that even now they have left themselves too much to do to make the top four but the one thing is for absolutely certain is they can’t afford to lose this match if they harbour hopes of extending their season.
Adelaide Strikers
I don’t think the schedule has done the Adelaide Strikers many favours. This tournament began three weeks ago and this will be just the fourth time they have had a match. One of those was washed out so this will actually be only the third time they have been on the field this term. They won’t have been able to find much in the way of a rhythm which isn’t ideal but the games come more regularly now with them always hosting the New Year’s Eve clash.
The Strikers probably lost the most talent from last season to this one and that was a concern going into the campaign and it remains the case now. Adelaide are certainly a better team with the bat than the ball on paper and you would imagine they are going to continue to have to fight fire with fire unless they can find some big plays with the ball. They do bat deep though so that shouldn’t be a challenge which worries them in any way.
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Key Players
You kind of get the feeling that the best chance of getting on top of the Adelaide Strikers is to get Matt Short out early and so Tom Rogers could be a key player for the Melbourne Renegades. He bowled well with the new ball last time out and the home side could do with more of the same.
On the flip side of that if Matt Short can get off to a fast start and bat through the powerplay towards the halfway mark of the innings then this deep Adelaide batting line up can come in and put up a daunting score.
Betting
Most of the firms who have priced up the sixes line for this match have it at 12.5 but there are a couple who have theirs at just 10.5 and I like the over on that lower one. We have only had one match at this ground this season and it had 15 sixes in it even though both sides lost early wickets. That match included the Brisbane Heat who had a much better bowling attack than the one which the Adelaide Strikers will be arriving with.
Both these teams are littered with big hitters. Jake Fraser-McGurk is hitting everything for six this season but we have the likes of Quinton de Kock, Joe Clarke, Nic Maddinson, potentially Aaron Finch, Matt Short, D’Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Adam Hose, Jamie Overton and James Bazley all able to hit a big ball. There isn’t a whole lot in either bowling attack to trouble anyone here so I do think this will be a high scoring game and on boundaries which aren’t the biggest I think we’ll go beyond 10.5 sixes.
Tips
Back Over 10.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Betway
