The Big Bash League’s latest season has begun play. Brisbane Heat, the runners-up from the previous season, easily defeated Melbourne Stars on the opening day of the new campaign. Adelaide Strikers and Heat will now play on Saturday at the Adelaide Oval. Strikers will be keen to get off to a strong start in the new season after a forgettable campaign in the previous one.
The Strikers’ BBL12 campaign was disappointing as they only won five of their 14 games, missing out on a post-season berth. This is despite Matt Short, the best hitter, who put up an incredible 14 innings of work and scored 458 runs at an average of 35.23.
Brisbane Heat turned the tide with an almost faultless performance in their season opener, overpowering the Melbourne Stars and achieving a convincing 103-run victory. This came after a depressing loss in the previous season’s BBL final. Even though Glenn Maxwell was hurt, Brisbane Heat defeated Melbourne Stars because of an unbroken 99 runs from Colin Munro.
Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat Team Preview & Squads
Adelaide Strikers
Naturally, Chris Lynn can completely transform the top team. With four second-wicket stands totaling more than 72 runs apiece, the dynamic opener and Matthew Short combined for more than 400 runs at an incredible strike rate in the 140s.
D’arcy Short, a left-handed batsman who will be hoping to duplicate his outstanding performance in the blue jersey, will excite the Strikers. Short, who played for the Hurricanes and was named Player of the Tournament in both the BBL7 and BBL8 tournaments, has a singular record in that he is the first player to score over 600 runs and take ten wickets in a single season.
Seamer Wes Agar led the Strikers in bowling last season with 18 wickets at 20.27 average. This time, Agar will have a task on his hands since Rashid Khan, the great bowler, is not available. The two senior spinners, Ben Manenti and Cameron Boyce are anticipated to be key players.
Adelaide Strikers Squads
Adelaide Strikers
Alex Carey (wk), Chris Lynn, Adam Hose, Cameron Boyce, James Bazley, Harry Nielsen, Wes Agar, D’Arcy Short, Ben Manenti, Matthew Short, Jamie Overton
Brisbane Heat
Josh Brown, Matt Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson, Colin Munro, and Khawaja all scored more than 200 runs for the Heat in the previous season. Crucially, all but Peirson did it at a blistering pace of 135 or higher, providing a clear picture of the Heat’s impressive play at pivotal moments.
Though there is a sense of disappointment at not being able to bring back Sam Hain, Sam Billings’ skill, which helped Oval Invincibles win the T20 Blast title alongside Kent and lead them to victory in the men’s Hundred, is more than adequate for the job at hand.
Leading the bowling assault is Michael Neser, who has an outstanding 26 wickets to his name, good for second highest in BBL 12. Spencer Johnson, on the other hand, had an exceptional year. He made headlines internationally with a brilliant 3 for 1 against Manchester Originals in The Hundred, claimed nine wickets in the previous BBL season, and is expected to help Australia in the T20 World Cup after making his debut in South Africa.
Brisbane Heat Squads
Brisbane Heat
Usman Khawaja (c), Sam Billings (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Paul Walter, Xavier Bartlett, Michael Neser, Spencer Johnson, Max Bryant, Mitchell Swepson, Colin Munro, Matthew Kuhnemann
Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat outfield report
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
The side batting first has won 41 of the 69 domestic T20 matches held at Adelaide Oval. Consequently, the side that wins the toss will probably bat first. On the morning of the game, Adelaide is predicted to see some showers. However, most of the weather should be chilly and overcast.
Adelaide Oval provides a genuine surface that is usually maintained during play. The surface is anticipated to be hard and ideal for batting since this is the first game of the season to be played there. But bowlers should also receive a lot of bounce from the surface.
Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches
In their last five matches, the Brisbane Heat won four matches and the Adelaide Strikers won one match.
According to cricket analysts, Brisbane Heat have a 53% chance to win.
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