We’re reaching the crunch time in the group phase of the Big Bash League season and Monday’s match could barely be bigger for the two sides involved.
Sydney Thunder host the Melbourne Renegades at Spotless Stadium with the home side knowing if they win they all but secure a semi-final spot while the Renegades have to win to keep their faint hopes of making it into the last four alive.
The Thunder began the season with three straight wins but the wheels have come off in recent times and they go into this game having lost their last three matches. To keep their semi-final hopes in their own hands they need to end that slump in this match.
Michael Hussey missed the Thunder’s last match but he has been named in the squad for this one although he will have to come through a medical check on the morning of the game before he is confirmed as a starter. Usman Khawaja also returns having been away on Australia Test duty. Jake Doran misses out.
The Melbourne Renegades won their opening match and apart from a win over Hobart they have really struggled since. The obvious reason for that has been their bowling attack which just hasn’t looked penetrative enough at any stage in the tournament.
We’re still waiting for Chris Gayle to really catch fire this season and now would be a pretty good time. Nathan Rimmington returns from injury for this game to at least attempt to offer some pep to the bowling attack but he’ll need help from those around him.
There is plenty on the line here so it would be no surprise if we see a few errors in the match which puts me off backing anyone to win. If I had to back someone it would probably be the Sydney Thunder but I can’t be backing a side at long odds on when they come off the back of three successive defeats.
One bet I do like here though is the sixes. We’ve seen enough here to suggest we’ll get plenty of sixes in a match where both batting line ups have plenty of power in their ranks.
We’ve seen nine sixes in the first two matches here which were pretty low scoring and then there was 14 in the latest one and even that wasn’t as high scoring.
With the Renegades offering little threat with the ball but a deep batting line up who all hit big I fancy the sixes number to be the highest all season at Spotless in this match and with that in mind I’ll happily take over 11.5 sixes here.
Back Over 11.5 sixes for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with William Hill
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