The business end of the Big Bash League is about to begin with the two semi-finals being played on Thursday and Friday ahead of Sunday’s final.
The opening last four clash sees the table topping Adelaide Strikers taking on the fourth placed Sydney Thunder at the Adelaide Oval. The Strikers know if they win they will host Sunday’s final while the Thunder will go to either Melbourne or Perth should they triumph.
The Strikers have been the best side in the competition so far this season. While that will give them confidence it means nothing in this semi-final as they will know all too well having topped the table 12 months ago only to lose to the Sixers in the semis. They’ll be determined to avoid a repeat here.
Sydney Thunder have had a couple of awful seasons but they have bounced back to make it into their first semi-final in this competition and they can almost play with a bit of freedom from here on in. A side with the number of match winners that they have are always a dangerous opponent.
Adelaide Strikers lost just once in the group stage of the tournament but they won’t need any reminding that the defeat came against the Thunder in Sydney. That was the one time they failed with the bat in the campaign so the home side have plenty of potential mental baggage to overcome.
That win was the Thunder’s third in the competition in their opening three matches but then came a traditional slump as they lost the next four. While they arrested that slide with a second Sydney derby win of the season they weren’t convincing in that they were just fortunate that the Sixers had to chase a target down with plenty of overs to spare so threw caution to the wind.
Adelaide have been without Mahela Jayawardena for the last couple of matches but the Sri Lankan legend has been passed fit to join up with the squad and it would be a surprise if he doesn’t replace Jake Lehmann in the side. Kane Richardson is away with Australia but Gary Putland is included. Greg West is dropped and Billy Stanlake is injured.
The Thunder will be without one of their world stars in Jacques Kallis. He is injured and hasn’t recovered in time for the game but Usman Khawaja has been released from the Australia squad now and will join up with Sydney for this match. All eyes will be on Shane Watson and Andre Russell as potential game changers.
There are concerns over both sides going into this match so I can’t say I’m keen on either if I’m honest but that is ok because I don’t like betting on the outcome of matches on this ground anyway purely because the short square boundaries are so hard to defend in the second innings.
I’m not sure either side have the bowling attack to bowl the other out if they are defending a score so instead I will head for the sixes market in this match where once again the line looks on the short side.
The line is 12.5 and when you figure we have an Adelaide side with a big hitting line up taking on a Sydney Thunder side with two of the biggest hitters in the tournament on show I’m expecting to see plenty of big hits in this semi-final.
We’ve got the likes of Tim Ludeman, Jono Dean, Travis Head, Brad Hodge, Aiden Blizzard, Shane Watson, Andre Russell and Ben Rohrer on show for us in the big hitting department here and against two hittable attacks I’m on the sixes line to be covered here.
Back 13 or more sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Bet365
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