Last Updated on 6 years by Charbel Coorey
Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Preview + Dream11
Yesterday, it was the battle of the last-start losers. Today, it is the battle of two of the three undefeated teams so far in BBL08.
Hobart Hurricanes were clinical as they dispatched Melbourne Stars on Christmas Eve. Their bowling, which is arguably a concern, stepped up to restrict a dangerous Stars’ line up on paper, just as they did to Brisbane Heat two days earlier. D’Arcy Short has two Man-Of-The-Match Awards from as many outings, and is already threatening to take Hobart Hurricanes on a similar run to the final as they did in BBL07. Will they keep the undefeated run going in BBL08?
Another side that has impressed is Sydney Thunder, who sit top of the BBL08 table. Like the Hurricanes, the Thunder dispatched their opponent on Christmas Eve, with Sydney Sixers the recipients. Jos Buttler has hit form early in the tournament, backed up by a middle order and spin attack that is performing admirably so far. Blundstone Arena presents a different challenge given the good batting track and small boundaries, which is something the Thunder need to overcome if they are to continue improving their record against the Hurricanes.
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Key to a Hobart Hurricanes win
D’Arcy Short has indeed been excellent for the Hurricanes, but Jofra Archer has led the attack brilliantly so far. Archer has been able to extract movement and bounce that no other bowlers have, which renders him vital to the Hurricanes’ chances again. Riley Meredith came to the fore with an economical spell against Melbourne Stars, along with D’Arcy Short who took two wickets to prove himself as a handy bowling option. However, can the likes of James Faulkner, Johan Botha and Clive Rose show better consistency?
On the batting front, Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short will be key again at the top. Wade continued his strong form against the Stars, which paved the way for the likes of Ben McDermott and George Bailey to cruise to the target. The same tonight is what the Hurricanes will be keen for, and given the top order have been in good form in either BBL or Shield Cricket, another strong start is a good possibility.
Key to a Sydney Thunder win
That the Thunder have won both their games with neither of Shane Watson or Joe Root firing is mighty encouraging. In the past, the Thunder have relied on one or two players to fire, but the likes of Callum Ferguson, Daniel Sams and Jason Sangha have been solid in the middle order. The key for the Thunder would be to see off Jofra Archer without damage, and then take advantage with a hard-hitting batting lineup throughout the innings.
Also, what impact will the spinners have in Hobart? Spotless Stadium in Sydney often assists spin bowlers, but night time in Hobart will be a different challenge. Can the likes of Chris Green, Fawad Ahmed and Jono Cook keep Hobart’s batting lineup quiet? What about the Thunder pace attack, led by Daniel Sams? How well Sams bowls plus the support he gets will be key to whether the Thunder leave Tasmania with a win.
Predicted Playing XIs
Hobart Hurricanes have named an unchanged squad for this match. Expect them to play the same team as per their clash with Melbourne Stars, despite two failures for Alex Doolan.
Hobart Hurricanes: 1. Matthew Wade (c & wk), 2. D’Arcy Short, 3. Alex Doolan, 4. Ben McDermott, 5. George Bailey, 6. Simon Milenko, 7. James Faulkner, 8. Johan Botha, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Clive Rose, 11. Riley Meredith
Sydney Thunder have one change with Arjun Nair coming into the squad. However, expect the Thunder to also play with an unchanged XI, despite Nathan McAndrew’s poor outing with the ball vs Sixers.
Sydney Thunder: 1. Jos Buttler (wk), 2. Shane Watson (c), 3. Callum Ferguson, 4. Joe Root, 5. Jason Sangha, 6. Daniel Sams, 7. Chris Green, 8. Nathan McAndrew/Gurinder Sandhu, 9. Sam Rainbird, 10. Jono Cook, 11. Fawad Alam
Dream11
Will it be a night for the batsmen? Below is my Dream11 Team with a few pointers.
- Jos Buttler hit 81 off 43 balls the last time he played Hobart Hurricanes. He is my captain.
- D’Arcy Short hit 97 off 63 balls the last time he played Sydney Thunder. He is my vice captain.
- James Faulkner gets the nod over George Bailey due to his bowling capabilities.
- Joe Root is due a score, and the good batting conditions could see him fire. He gets the nod over Shane Watson, who has to be picked with caution as he has to come up against Jofra Archer right away.
- Jason Sangha offers great value and Daniel Sams is a must.
- Jofra Archer is also a must. Riley Meredith, Fawad Ahmed and Chris Green are all in good touch, and offer good value.
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Stats and Facts
- Head to Head: Played: 8, Hobart Hurricanes 6, Sydney Thunder 2
- Sydney Thunder have won two of the last three meetings.
- Daniel Sams has hit 62 runs at a strike rate of 193.75 in BBL08. He also has six wickets.
Prediction
This should be an exciting clash between two good sides.
I will pick Sydney Thunder to pick up a good victory away from home, led by their spinners and solid top order effort from the English lads.
Thanks for reading!
Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder Preview + Dream11
