The Big Bash League continues on Thursday as the last team to get their campaign underway does so when the Hobart Hurricanes make the trip to Geelong to take on the Melbourne Renegades in what should be an entertaining contest.
The Renegades got off to a losing start earlier in the week and will be looking to make up for that here while the Hurricanes have the chance to steal a bit of a march if they can open up their season with a victory.
Melbourne Renegades
I think most judges expected to see a better Melbourne Renegades this season than the one which competed last year but they opened up with a defeat to the Sydney Sixers earlier in the week. I don’t think we should write them off on that effort though because the Sixers rarely lose at the Sydney Cricket Ground and there were good things from the Renegades even in defeat in that contest. Ultimately though, a really classy innings from an experienced campaigner got the better of them.
If a criticism was to be levelled at the Renegades it would be that four of their batters got to 20 in the match but only one of them made it to 40 so as the competition goes on they will be looking at their players who get themselves starts to go on and put up bigger scores. The bowling went the distance a little bit but to be fair they ran into a decent batting unit so we shouldn’t hold that against them but it is another department where the Renegades can improve.
Hobart Hurricanes
The Hobart Hurricanes get another season underway in this match and they will be hoping to go a whole lot better than they did in three of the previous four campaigns where they have failed to make the finals. You wouldn’t say that they have done huge amounts of work to their squad for this season but they have signed a couple of overseas players who will be useful for the duration of their time with the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes batting will be under the spotlight here. It looks a batter light but if someone at the top of the order can fire like they can then they will make up for that but if they lose early wickets you could quickly see the Hobart outfit getting themselves into a bit of a hole. The bowling looks to be decent enough going into the season but as ever you never truly know how long their key bowlers will remain fit for so there might be a need to strike while the iron is hot so to speak.
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Key Players
Tim Siefert looked in excellent form for the Melbourne Renegades in the opening match but he couldn’t quite lead the innings home. His side will be hoping that he can get in and push on to the end of the innings here.
Ben McDermott is the pace setter with the bat for the Hobart Hurricanes and if he can get himself in and start firing then he could have the visitors in a decent position in this match very quickly, especially with him opening the batting in the powerplay.
Betting
I think these two teams are going in opposite directions. I like what the Melbourne Renegades have done to their squad in the off season whereas I’m not massively convinced by the Hobart Hurricanes. I don’t think the Melbourne Renegades were a million miles off getting a result against the Sydney Sixers in the opening game but if they brush up on one or two things, which is probably natural as they are likely to come on for the run anyway, then they should be right there here.
Hobart will go into this match a little cold and I’m not convinced about their batting depth. If their key players fire then they might be ok but if one or two are out cheaply then they could easily get into problems. Jacob Bethell has arrived to strengthen the Renegades’ batting and potentially their spin department and on a home track I am a little surprised that Melbourne are the outsiders here. At the prices I’m with the home side in this one.
Tips
Back Melbourne Renegades to beat Hobart Hurricanes for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with William Hill
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