The second match of the Big Bash League season comes from the wonderful Adelaide Oval and sees the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Stars getting their campaigns underway.
Both sides were beaten in the semi-finals last year and both will be looking to go a couple of steps better this year. The Stars are perennial losing semi-finalists and will be desperate to break a trend no side will want.
The Strikers will begin a new era in this match with Jason Gillespie taking over at the helm and Brad Hodge replacing the departed Johan Botha as captain. Mahela Jayawardene will bring some leadership qualities to the place too.
The Stars have lost some personnel too. Their captain Cameron White has upped sticks and gone across the city which means David Hussey takes over the role permanently. Lasith Malinga and Jackson Bird have been key bowlers in the past but they are not around this season either.
Adil Rashid joins Jayawardene as overseas player for the Strikers this season and his spin will aim to replace Adam Zampa who has left and will line up against the home side here as he has joined the Stars. Kane Richardson will be key with the ball.
These two sides met in the opening match of the tournament here last year and the Strikers blew the Stars away and it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if they have a night to remember again here too but too much has changed in both the Strikers and the Stars since then for me to get heavily involved in the match betting.
In that match here last year Tim Ludeman clobbered 92 not out from just 44 balls and in the other match the two sides have played in Adelaide he made 30 so he seems to enjoy batting against this Stars attack which leads me to think he will cover an 18.5 run line in this match.
Ludeman has been going ok in the one day matches this season and with the licence to get stuck in during the powerplay he won’t need long at the crease to reach at least 19 runs and maybe many more.
Back T.Ludeman Over 18.5 runs for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Ladbrokes
Blog cricket YTD: +26.6pts
