The rematch is about to take place in Perth’s Optus Stadium. In an exciting weekend match, the top two teams in the table—who were also the finalists the previous year—will square off to determine whether or not the Scorchers will conclude the group stage in the top two spots.
Michael Neser (64* (30) & 2/31) used his bat and ball to win the match, reminding everyone just how great a player he is in this format. The difference between the two teams—the Scorchers losing by 23 runs—turned out to be his valiant efforts. Furthermore, each team currently in contention’s qualification prospects are a little more exciting as a result of this easy victory.
With two games remaining, Perth Scorchers will be looking to exact revenge for their loss three days prior and maximize their chances of finishing as the second-place team in the group rounds. However, Brisbane Heat will aim to maintain their winning streak into the qualifying round.
Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat Team Preview & Squads
Perth Scorchers
Although the Perth Scorchers occasionally make mistakes, their track record indicates that they are not easily defeated. They are a winning team that constantly aims to make a big comeback. When they take on Brisbane Heat at home in a match that will determine their fate in the standings, it is precisely what Aaron Hardie’s man will be trying to accomplish.
Their only comfort in what has been their most disappointing week of the season thus far—two losses, one to the Heat and another to the Sixers—remains to be a comfortable 7-wicket triumph over the Thunder. They would be furious with themselves for letting the Heat off the hook at the beginning of the 13th over when they had them comfortably trapped at 91/5. The Orange men were able to stay in the game because of the crucial contributions made by Laurie Evans at bat and Ashton Agar with the ball.
The three-order batsmen who gave up wickets after a calm start, along with pace bowlers Jason Behrendorff and Jhye Richardson, had a poor day. Now that they are back in their backyard, the Perth Scorchers will aim to swiftly get back on track and wrap up their group stage campaign with two victories from two games.
Perth Scorchers Squads
Perth Scorchers
Aaron Hardie (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Sam Whiteman, Cooper Connolly, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Agar, Hamish McKenzie, Laurie Evans, Jason Behrendorff, Zak Crawley, Lance Morris.
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat had an almost flawless BBL season this year. Brisbane Heat ended a six-game losing streak with an easy victory over Perth Scorchers. Being the only unbeaten team thus far, they will aim to finish the group stages with a victory so they can carry that record into the home qualifiers. They would have a lot of confidence after pulling off such a feat, something they didn’t seem to have in the big finals last year.
After coming agonizingly close to winning the title the previous season, Brisbane Heat would have a psychological advantage over Perth Scorchers with another victory on Saturday night at Optus Stadium. They are winning games from amazing positions, and every member of the squad is making a good contribution.
Take all-rounder Michael Neser for example. In addition to providing support with the ball and bat, he made an incredible catch to remove Josh Inglis just as he was ready to cut loose. The opposition hasn’t been able to score fast runs against Spencer Johnson and Paul Walter at the end of the inning because of their outstanding play at the finish of the game.
Brisbane Heat Squads
Brisbane Heat
Usman Khawaja (c), Sam Billings (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Paul Walter, Xavier Bartlett, Michael Neser, Spencer Johnson, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Colin Munro, Matthew Kuhnemann.
Perth Scorchers will attempt to bat first and pile on the runs, should the bat flip go their way. There doesn’t appear to be any threat from the weather, therefore we should see another match in which allotted overs are played. This is a good batting pitch that will help bowlers with pace and bounce a lot.
Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches
In their last five matches, the Perth Scorchers won four matches and the Brisbane Heat won just one.
According to cricket analysts, Perth Scorchers have a 58% chance to win.
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