Home Blog Page 333

BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Sarthak Karkhanis
-
0
BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Oval Pitch Report

The Sydney Sixers lock horns with the Adelaide Strikers at the Carrara Oval in Match 26 of the Big Bash League. The two teams in the top-half of the table will aim to get their campaign back on track after a defeat in their previous game for both the teams.

The defending champions, Sixers were on 4-match winning run until they were beaten by the Brisbane Beat side on Saturday. A win against the Strikers will help them leapfrog their city rivals by a point if they don’t win the Bash Boost point.

On Saturday, the 2-time champions posted 165 on the board which wasn’t enough as Gregory and Wildermuth gave a finishing touch to the Strikers’ chased down the target with ease as they couldn’t restrict the run flow in the Power Surge and post the 17th over.

The Strikers won 3 of their last games, before losing to the Scorchers on New Years’ Eve. The batting couldn’t deliver other than skipper Carey who scored a 59-ball 82 as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. In the bowling department, Jason Roy powered the 3-time champions to a magnificent start but the Strikers spinners did pull the game back as the fate of the match was in balance. But in the end, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis comprehensively defeated the Strikers and bagged 4 points have won the Bash Boost.

BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11: Dan Hughes will be key.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  1. Josh Phillipe has scored at a strike rate of 142 in this edition of the BBL. He has the third-most runs in BBL 10 so far with 220 at an average of 36.66.
  2. Alex Carey scored a 82-run knock against the Scorchers and was the lone warriors as wickets kept tumbling at the other end.
  3. Wes Agar has picked a wicket in every game of the tournament. He currently leads the tournament with 11 in six matches.
  4. Rashid Khan has been a bit expensive in BBL 10 but has gone wicketless in just 2 of his last 20 games in the Big Bash League.
  5. Daniel Hughes has been in decent touch. Also, he has a solid record vs Strikers, with 182 runs at an average of 36.40.
  6. Daniel Christian was the difference between these two teams in the previous fixture as he scored the second-fastest fifty in BBL history (15 balls).
  7. Steve O’Keefe is the leading wicket-taker in the matches between the two sides, equal with Ben Dwarshuis (13).

Stats and Facts

  • Sixers have won 8 games while their opponents have won three fewer games in the head-to-head battle.
  • The Sydney Sixers have won the last five matches against the Adelaide Strikers.
  • Jonathan Wells has an average of 90.5 against the Sydney Sixers.

Possible Playing 11

Both the teams might go in unchanged for this encounter. But Sydney Sixers might well opt for a change because of workload management having played their previous game on the previous day.

Adelaide Strikers: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jake Weatherald, 3. Matt Renshaw, 4. Alex Carey (c & wk), 5. Jonathan Wells, 6. Matthew Short, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Daniel Worrall, 9. Danny Briggs, 10. Wes Agar, 11. Peter Siddle

Sydney Sixers: 1. Josh Philippe (wk), 2. Jack Edwards, 3. James Vince, 4. Daniel Hughes (c), 5. Jordan Silk, 6. Daniel Christian, 7. Carlos Brathwaite, 8. Ben Dwarshuis, 9. Steve O’Keefe, 10. Ben Manenti, 11. Jackson Bird

Carrara Oval Pitch Report and Weather

The Sydney Sixers have played a couple of matches at this venue and have just managed to cross the line, while the Strikers will be playing their first game. The pitch has been a belter for batting so far as the run-rate in the first innings is 9.2.

There are 40% chances of rain on Sunday and that might affect the game like it did on New Years’ Day.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 26: STR vs SIX Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Both the teams are in good form in this year’s BBL, in spite of the loss for each team in the previous game, and this may well turn out to be one of the best matches of the league so far. However, the Sixers will be the favourites going into this match.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today | Scorchers vs Renegades Key Players | Perth Pitch Report

As BBL 10 moves out west to Perth for the first time, the city will play host to a crucial game between two sides desperate to move up the table.

Perth Scorchers, after four losses to start their campaign, produced a fine performance on New Years’ Eve to defeat Adelaide Strikers. The star-studded Scorchers lineup finally hit their straps, but the challenge will now be to replicate that form on a consistent basis to keep in touch with the top five. Jason Roy, Josh Inglis and Mitch Marsh were in the runs last time out, so the men in orange will be keen to build on their promising showing.

They will meet Melbourne Renegades, who beat the Scorchers comfortably earlier this season. Since then, however, the Renegades have lost five straight games, which have included two sub-100 totals. But, the Renegades have put together two fighting performances in their last two matches, going down to the Sixers and Thunder in closely-fought battles. Now, they will have to turn a competitive performance into victory, as they, like the Scorchers, look to keep touch with the top five.

BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today | Scorchers vs Renegades Key Players | Perth Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11: Shaun Marsh has been in good touch.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Perth Scorchers:

  • Liam Livingstone vs Melbourne Renegades last season: 29 (19) and 59 (39). Can he produce a big performance here?
  • Jason Roy is coming off an impactful 49 off 32 balls against the Strikers. Also, in his only match at Perth Stadium in 2018, Roy hit an impressive 49 off 46 balls in an ODI vs Australia.
  • Josh Inglis found some form last game with 44* (31) vs Strikers. Also, Inglis performed well vs Renegades last season, with a score of 51 (33) at Geelong.
  • Mitchell Marsh was also in the runs vs Strikers (38* off 24 balls). So, can Marsh improve on a middling record vs Renegades? (8 inns, 170 runs, avg. 24.29, SR 118.09)
  • Jhye Richardson has taken nine wickets in five games so far in BBL 10. Also, he has six scalps in five matches vs Renegades.
  • Jason Behrendorff enjoys playing the Renegades, with 10 wickets in seven matches against them at an average of 17.90 and economy rate of just 6.39. Andrew Tye has 10 scalps in eight games vs Renegades.
  • Aaron Hardie took 2/21 last game vs Strikers.

Melbourne Renegades:

  • Aaron Finch has made a start in each of his five matches in BBL 10 so far without going on to make a 50+ score (35, 12, 20, 39, 18). He will have to improve his overall performance vs Scorchers, which reads: 12 inns, 256 runs, avg. 21.33.
  • Shaun Marsh is coming off an excellent 87 off 48 balls vs Sydney Thunder. Also, the former Scorchers batsman has scored two fifties in three innings for the Renegades against Scorchers, including 62 against them earlier in BBL 10.
  • Can Sam Harper make an impact? He has scored 166 runs against the Scorchers at a decent T20 average of 33.20.
  • Kane Richardson has the most wickets in Renegades-Scorchers matches (13 in just seven innings). He took 3/22 against the Scorchers earlier in BBL 10.
  • Josh Lalor (3/30) was player of the match against Scorchers earlier this season.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 13, Scorchers 10, Renegades 3.
  • Renegades beat Scorchers easily earlier in BBL 10. They won by seven wickets after restricting the Scorchers to just 130.
  • Both teams have won one game each at Perth Stadium.
  • Mitch Marsh smashed 56 (22) against Renegades on this ground last season.

Possible Playing 11

Perth Scorchers: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Liam Livingstone, 3. Colin Munro, 4. Josh Inglis (wk), 5. Mitchell Marsh, 6. Ashton Turner (c), 7. Aaron Hardie, 8. Jhye Richardson, 9. Andrew Tye, 10. Jason Behrendorff, 11. Fawad Ahmed

Melbourne Renegades: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. Shaun Marsh, 3. Sam Harper (wk), 4. Rilee Russouw, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Mackenzie Harvey, 7. Imad Wasim, 8. Will Sutherland, 9. Kane Richardson, 10. Josh Lalor/Mitchell Perry, 11. Peter Hatzoglou

Optus Perth Stadium Pitch Report and Weather

Expect a pacey surface at Perth Stadium. The ball usually comes onto the bat nicely on this ground, and with a lack of cricket in recent times, the square should be full of life.

A mostly cloudy day is forecast for Perth, with low/no chances of rain.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today | Scorchers vs Renegades Key Players | Perth Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction Today | Scorchers vs Renegades Key Players | Perth Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 25: SCO vs REN Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

The Scorchers, on paper, look to have the better of the Renegades. However, matches aren’t played on paper, so the Scorchers will need to be on their game.

Ultimately, the Scorchers’ depth should prove enough to get a victory here.

Thanks for reading!

AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test

Debashish Sarangi
-
0
AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test

AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test | 5 key talking points ahead of the third Test match between Australia and India

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has completed its half cycle. After witnessing an epic collapse in the first Test in Adelaide, the Indian team bounced back in style by defeating Australia by 8 wickets in Melbourne. Indeed, it was one of their most finest overseas wins in recent memory.

So, the series is evenly poised at 1-1 right now, as we are heading to the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for the third Test starting from 7th of January. There are several things to talk about ahead of the third Test and I am going to mention five of those talking points in this article. Here we go.

5. Success of Ashwin compared to Lyon

AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test | 5 key talking points ahead of the third Test match between Australia and India
AUS vs IND 3rd Test talking points: Ashwin will be key again.

Before the start of the series, we all had almost a similar thought that Nathan Lyon would perform really well as he always does against India, whereas R. Ashwin’s place in the side was debatable because of his poor returns with the ball in Australia in all of his tours in the past.

But, things have been the opposite this time. Ashwin has been the best bowler in the series so far with 10 wickets from 2 games, whereas Lyon has picked just 4 wickets from 2 games. Yes, Lyon didn’t bowl in the 2nd innings of India in Adelaide and bowled just 17 balls in the last innings in Melbourne, but he bowled over 48 overs in the first innings of both the Tests combined, in which he dismissed just 2 batsmen from the top 7 of India and his rest 2 wickets were tail-enders. His average of 36.25 and SR of 76.5 with the ball are not encouraging at all. On the other hand, Ashwin has been very impressive so far, as eight of his ten wickets are of the top 7 batsmen. He is averaging just 17.70 and has a much better SR of 51.10. So, Australia would definitely want Lyon to pick wickets at crucial stages at the SCG just like Ashwin has done for India so far.

4. Poor returns from Pujara & Smith

AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test | 5 key talking points ahead of the third Test match between Australia and India
AUS vs IND 3rd Test talking points: Can Smith rediscover his best form?

In the last BGT back in 2018-19, Cheteshwar Pujara turned out to be the hero for India. He scored a mammoth 521 runs at a brilliant average of 74.43 involving 3 hundreds. So, we all had similar sort of expectations from him prior to this series.

But, apart from the knock of 43 in the 1st innings in Adelaide, all of his other 3 innings were poor and he has scored just 63 runs from 4 innings at an abysmal average of 15.75 so far, which is not something to cheer about for him as well as India.

Similarly, it has been a horrible series for the mainstay of the Australian batting unit, Steven Smith. Smith was bamboozled by Ashwin on two occasions and he missed a flick against Bumrah in the 2nd innings of the last test and got bowled, which we don’t see from him quite often. He has just 10 runs from 4 innings, which is awful especially for a player of such high standards. So, these things indicate both of these terrific players are going through a rough patch and they surely will be looking to score huge runs for their respective sides at the SCG. 

3. India’s issues with bottom five opposition batsmen

The love affair between Indian team and the bottom four or five batsmen of the opposition is second to none. We have seen the Indian bowlers dismissing the top five or six batsmen cheaply but being failed to demolish the tail quickly; which eventually have led to India’s defeat on so many occasions.

In the first Test at Adelaide, India were on top with Australia reeling at 111-7 at one stage. Tim Paine batted alongside Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood and Australia went on to score 191. Similarly, in the second Test, the Aussies were on the verge of an innings defeat having lost 6 wickets for just 99 runs. But, Cameron Green and Pat Cummins batted together for more than 35 overs and frustrated the Indian team to a large extent. The bottom three batsmen, viz. Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood played more than 15 overs cumulatively. These resistant efforts took Australia to 200 and they made India bat once again. Although India won the game, they still require a solution to this problem, as you can’t concede these many crucial runs while bowling to the bottom four or five batsmen.

2. Thakur, Saini or Natarajan?

AUS vs IND: Smith, Pujara & more talking points ahead of 3rd Test | 5 key talking points ahead of the third Test match between Australia and India
AUS vs IND 3rd Test talking points: Natarajan had a superb white-ball year in 2020.

Although India won the Boxing Day Test quite comfortably, the injury to Umesh Yadav during the 2nd innings of Australia has raised a few questions regarding the team selection for the third Test.

While T Natarajan has been added to the squad as the replacement for Umesh Yadav, there are other options in Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini. With Siraj and Bumrah all set to open the bowling for India, they need a perfect third seamer who can play the supporting role. If you ask me, I think Natarajan will be preferred over the other two. There are two reasons for this. The first thing is that he is a left-arm seamer, thus bringing some variety into the side. The second thing is he was seen hitting the right lengths in the limited overs series more often than the other two. He was skiddy and brought some odd balls back into the RHBs on a used Canberra surface and therefore I feel that he can be useful at the SCG, where it always exists something for the skiddy bowlers as the game progresses.

Also, his average and SR in First Class cricket are better than both Shardul and Saini. Shardul is primarily a swing bowler and Saini found it hard to bowl at the right lengths on the Australian wickets. So, I personally believe Natarajan might replace Umesh Yadav in the third Test and play the role of the third seamer perfectly.

1. Batting Order Conundrum of Both Teams

Though both India and Australia have won one Test each, we can’t deny the fact that both the teams have serious concerns at the top of their respective batting orders. Australia have touched the 200 run mark just once in this series, that too due to the performance of their lower middle order and lower order.

Smith has struggled and Marnus hasn’t scored a single fifty so far. Joe Burns has been axed because of his poor form and both David Warner and Will Pucovski have been added to the team after their respective injuries. Marcus Harris is still there in the squad. As Warner’s position is almost certain, I think it will be a tossup between Harris and Pucovski to open alongside him, which means we will most probably see Matthew Wade/ Travis Head in the middle order (I think Wade will be prefered).

On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the vice captain of the Indian team, which means he is a certainty in the playing XI. As he is supposed to open the innings, Mayank Agarwal is probably going to be dropped. Rohit hasn’t played a single game in this tour, so opening the batting straightaway against the trio of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood won’t be an easy task. Also, Pujara has not been at his best so far. So, it will be interesting to see whether Rohit and Pujara step up and score some useful runs at the SCG or not. If they don’t, all things will depend on the skipper Ajinkya Rahane and the others will have to bat around him once again.

—–

So, these are the five talking points I have ahead of the third Test between Australia and India at the SCG. Have your say!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI?

Vaibhav Tripathi
-
0
T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI?

T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Picking the T20 International Team of the Year for 2020: Which players make the XI?

Before the year started the array of focus was on the T20I format due to the scheduled World T20 in Australia which was later postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a Covid-induced pause in the otherwise relentless calendar of T20 cricket. The year marked players to attain their supremacy. It was a year that witnessed some great players who stood tall to grow in stature while some left a lasting impact with their first burst onto the scene. Here we analyzed the numbers and performances and selected the T20I XI of the Year 2020.

1. Babar Azam

Even though Pakistan’s skipper didn’t end the year as the number one batter in the world, Babar Azam still makes the T20 Team of the Year for 2020. He plays the role of the anchor at the top of the order while opening the innings and ensures that Pakistan very rarely collapses, a feature which is much needed in such a fickle format. he can accelerate if needed. In 6 innings he hit 276 runs at 55.20 at a strike rate of 144.50.

2. KL Rahul

T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Picking the T20 International Team of the Year for 2020: Which players make the XI?
T20I Team of the Year 2020: KL Rahul was superb.

This year was all about KL and his supremacy in the T20 format. He’s only the second batsman after Mohammad Hafeez to cross the 400 mark. Rahul made 404 runs from 11 matches with four fifties at an average of 44.89. He’s versatile enough to play at any position in the eleven also can keep the wickets.

3. Dawid Malan

The number one T20I batsman in the World averaged 53.1 at a staggering strike rate of 149 in the 19 games he has played for England in 2020. He is good value for it, having spent most of the last year dominating any bowler who has strayed into his field of vision. He ends the year third in the list of most run-getters in 2020 with 397 runs at 49.62 in 10 innings.

4. Tim Seifert

Seifert was New Zealand’s best batsman in T20I’s in 2020. With the likes of Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Colin Munro in the team, Seifert leading the charts speaks volumes about his ability as a T20 batsman. He gathered 352 runs at an impressive average of 40.28 and a healthy strike rate of 140.23. He also had a great year behind the sticks with gloves in hand.

5. Mohammad Hafeez

T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Picking the T20 International Team of the Year for 2020: Which players make the XI?
T20I Team of the Year 2020: Mohammad Hafeez had an incredible year.

We’ve often heard age is just a number in sports and 2020 we saw another classic example of that as the veteran Mohammad Hafeez overpassed everyone to be the top run-scorer in T20Is in 2020. The 40-year-old mostly batted in middle to lower-middle order for Pakistan and amassed 415 runs, most this season, at an astounding average of 83. He made four fifties and scored runs at a glittering strike rate of 152.57.

6. Kieron Pollard

The West Indies skipper made 168 runs in four innings at 56 and a thundering strike rate of 204.87. Pollard also chipped in with 9 wickets and was fairly economical in 2020. The all-rounder’s selection is not a difficult choice for number 6 as a finisher and then with the ball as the sixth bowling option

7. Ashton Agar

T20I Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Picking the T20 International Team of the Year for 2020: Which players make the XI?
T20I Team of the Year 2020: Ashton Agar was important for Australia.

The Australian all-rounder took 13 wickets from six matches at an average of 12.46 which also includes a five-wicket haul against South Africa in Johannesburg. His economy too was a praiseworthy one: 6.75. The left-hander can also come in handy as a batsman batting in the lower middle order.

8. Adil Rashid

Rashid edges out the other two leg spinners- Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa to make the final cut in the XI courtesy of his impressive returns throughout the year. Rashid picked 12 wickets from 11 innings at a fairly decent economy rate of 7.52 in 2020.

9. Tim Southee

After a shaky start to the year in this format, Southee made a very good comeback the once COVID scare was over and cricket was played in a biosecure environment. He got his shape back, swung the ball both ways to grab 12 wickets in 9 innings. His ability to pick wickets upfront in the powerplay and then to bowl a few in the back end holds his spot in the eleven.

10. Lungi Ngidi

Lungi Ngidi easily walks into the XI based on the sheer number of wickets he has taken in the year – the South African seamer has bagged 17 wickets in just 9 matches at an unbelievable strike rate of 11.7 in 2020 He was a touch expensive conceding runs at 10.47 in his 9 matches but compensated by picking wickets.

11. Haris Rauf

The right-arm fast Pakistan bowler sits second on the ladder with 16 wickets from 11 matches at a good economy of 8.65. He’s a wicket-taking option in the middle and slog overs with his yorkers and hard length balls. He was the stand out of all Pakistan bowlers due to his quintessential quality of picking wickets.

Notable mentions:

Jos Buttler:

The Englishman would’ve easily walked into any T20 eleven as he amassed 291 runs from 8 games at a strike-rate of over 150. Buttler has done well in T20 format mostly when he has opened the innings and that’s why it was difficult to vacant a spot for him in the eleven as KL and Babar were better than him this year. Also, the fact that Buttler is a wicket-keeper and the team already has two wicket keepers, so Buttler was unlucky to miss out on selection.

Adam Zampa

Zampa was the most impressive leggie in the limited-overs cricket last year- ended the year as the highest wicket-taker in ODIs and in T20I’s too he bagged 11 wickets from 9, only thing was the economy rate which separated him and Adil Rashid for a place in the team.

Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI?

Vaibhav Tripathi
-
0
ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI?

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Which players feature in the ODI Team of the Year for 2020?

Another engrossing year of cricket coming to its end. Some highly competitive cricket matches were played across three formats this year. Although the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus resulted in the postponement of many Bilateral series and also the World T20 in Australia. With a World Cup coming in next year in India and also the cycle of the ongoing World Test Championship the focus of the teams was more on these two formats. ODI cricket took a back seat in a COVID-affected year with the next mega 50 overs tournament to be played in 2023.

Even after all this, we witnessed some of the most enjoyable games, series in the 50 overs format. The ICC super league made the qualification of the World cup 2023  even more interesting to give value to the format before the major even. Based on their performances here’s the ODI team for the year 2020.

1. Aaron Finch ©

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Which players feature in the ODI Team of the Year for 2020? | Opinion: ODI cricket 2020
ODI Team of the Year 2020: Finch was superb

The Australian skipper led the batting charts being the top run-scorer of the year 2020. He had another fantastic year with the bat and also while leading the team. His run-scoring was hallmark by his consistency. The opener started his year with a century at Wankhede against India and ended the year on a high against the very opposite in the 3 matches ODI series. Finch amassed 673 runs in 13 innings at 56.08.

2. Jonny Bairstow

The English wicket-keeper batsman has been one of the most important players for England in ODI cricket alongside Root, Buttler, and Morgan. The Yorkshire batsman scored 346 runs in 8 innings at 43.25, the thing which stand-out with Bairstow is the rate with which he has scored all those runs. His strike rate is recorded to be 100.87, which suggests he guarantees you a blistering start at the top.

3. Steven Smith

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Which players feature in the ODI Team of the Year for 2020? | Opinion: ODI cricket 2020
ODI Team of the Year 2020: Smith was unbelievable against India.

Australia’s number 3 finds a place in the ODI team of the year because of the enormous impact on the opposition while batting one down for Australia. Smith’s tally of 3 hundreds is the most by any batsman this year. His unorthodox technique made the good balls get smothered, the bad ones cuffed away with clinical poise. In 9 innings he scored 568 runs at 63.11 which includes Twin 62-ball hundreds in Australia’s year-end series against India.

4. Eoin Morgan

Morgan has been in tremendous form for England for as long as the mind can recall. Morgan has scored a plethora of runs en route to becoming England’s all-time leading run-scorer and most capped player in ODIs. Not the best of the year by his standards but still makes the final cut with 250 runs at an average of just over 35.

5. KL Rahul

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Which players feature in the ODI Team of the Year for 2020? | Opinion: ODI cricket 2020
ODI Team of the Year 2020: KL Rahul had a good year.

KL Rahul is the only Indian batsman to find a spot in the team that itself suggests how good he was in the 50 over the format for India. Also, he’s the highest run-getter for India in ODIs this year, 12 runs ahead of Virat Kohli. He’ll also keep the wickets as Bairstow and Billings are outstanding boundary riders. The keeper-batsman aggregated 443 at 55.37 with a healthy strike rate of 106.23 while batting mostly in the middle order.

6. Sam Billings

Billings has been in and out of England’s white Ball team but his performances with the bat this year made him the top contender spot as first the choice reserve such is England’s batting strength. He started with a couple of unbeaten sealers in Ireland and continued the same form against Australia in the home series. In 6 innings he scored 315 at 78.75, also recording his maiden ODI hundred.

7. Glenn Maxwell

When it comes to impactful knocks then you can’t keep Maxwell out of any list. His strike rate was 145.26 to score 353 runs at 70.60. He can be used as a floater, can bat according to the situations, can up the ante whenever he wants. With the ball, the Big show can chip in with a few overs with one or two odd wickets.

8. Ravindra Jadeja

The Indian all-rounder hasn’t had the best of the year with the ball claiming only 7 wickets in 9 outings, but he proved his mettle with the bat coming as a finisher for team India. He’s a live wire in the field and one of the very few players who can make a difference by his fielding alone.

9. Alzarri Joseph

The Windies quick confirmed his ascension to West Indies attack leader in 2020 being the second-highest wicket-taker in this format. His tally of 18 wickets with the best strike rate and average amongst all the pacers who played more than 5 games.

10. Adam Zampa

ODI Team of the Year 2020: Who makes the XI? | Which players feature in the ODI Team of the Year for 2020? | Opinion: ODI cricket 2020
ODI Team of the Year 2020: Adam Zampa continues to shine.

The will-o’-the-wisp leggie was the standout spinner in the ODIs this year.

He performed well in home conditions and overseas and was Australia’s key to pick wickets in the middle overs. Zampa is seen as the best-attacking spin bowler in the 50-over game. He grabbed 27 wickets at a ridiculous strike rate of 28.4 in 13 games to lead the wickets column in 2020.

11. Josh Hazlewood

With the likes of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins in the team, the performances of Hazelwood gets unnoticed many times. But this year Hazlewood excelled with his line and lengths, giving the batsman nothing, and inevitably breaking through at crucial phases of the game. The tall pacemen end the year as Australia’s leading fast bowler with 16 wickets in 10 games at a mere strike rate of 36.9, including dismissing the great Virat Kohli three times in the three-match ODI series late in 2020.

Notable absentees:

David Warner

In the 12 innings, Warner accumulated 465 runs at 42.27. The left-hander would’ve easily made it to the XI, but Bairstow’s numbers this year just pipped out the Aussie opener.

Lungi Ngidi

The Proteas bowler has the knack of picking wickets, even if he goes for plenty he guarantees you wickets. However, the sample size was too small to consider him in the eleven. He bagged 12 scalps in 4 games at a thundering strike rate of 17.0.

Marnus Labuschagne

The rise of Marnus in international cricket was marked by his performances in the red-ball format. South Africa-born right-hander was 3rd on the most run-getters list with 473 runs in 12 innings at 39.41 which also includes his maiden hundred at his birthplace.

Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.

BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Thunder Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report

Melbourne Renegades won their first match of BBL 10. Sydney Thunder lost theirs. Since then, however, the fortunes of both teams have gone in completely opposite directions, with the Thunder winning each of their next four games, while the Renegades have lost their past four.

Moreover, it has been the manner of the results which is causing both pessimism and optimism respectively. The Renegades have been knocked over under 100 twice, including against the Thunder, as well as suffering heartbreak last time out against Sydney Sixers. The Thunder, on the other hand, look to have their most balanced team in BBL history, and sent another warning shot by thrashing Melbourne Stars, one of the favourites for the BBL 10 Title, by a massive 75 runs a few days ago.

So, if form lines are to go by, the Thunder will win this match comfortably. But that’s not how T20 works. The Renegades, who are desperate to keep touch with the top five, need this win, and will look to come out firing.

BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Thunder Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11: Shaun Marsh will be key.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sydney Thunder:

  • Alex Hales was irresistible three days ago against Melbourne Stars. The hard-hitting opener is coming off an incredible 71 off 29 balls. Also, Hales’ last three innings vs Renegades read: 68 (38), 31 (25) and 35 (21).
  • Usman Khawaja has the most runs for any Sydney Thunder player against Melbourne Renegades: 244, avg. 40.67.
  • Callum Ferguson is enjoying a strong BBL 10 campaign to date. He has scored three fifties in five matches so far, with a total of 197 runs in five knocks (avg. 49.25, SR 126.28). In fact, he has the most runs of any player in BBL 10 so far.
  • The exciting Oliver Davies was player of the match against Renegades earlier this season. He smashed 48 off 23 balls against them, including five straight sixes.
  • Tanveer Sangha dominated the Renegades earlier in BBL 10. The talented leg-spinner took 4/14, part of nine wickets in five games so far this season.
  • Daniel Sams has taken seven wickets in five games vs Renegades.
  • Chris Green has taken six wickets in his last two matches (2/7 vs Renegades, 4/34 vs Stars).

Melbourne Renegades:

  • A lot rests on Aaron Finch. The Renegades’ skipper has the most runs in Thunder-Renegades matches, with 296 at an average of 32.89.
  • Shaun Marsh has a superb career record against the Thunder. The experienced left-hander has scored 296 runs in eight matches at an average of 49.33 and SR 137.04. He scored 47 (34) and 42 (33) against them last season.
  • Sam Harper vs Thunder last season: 52 (38) and 39 (19). Can he produce that kind of form here?
  • Kane Richardson has the most wickets in Thunder-Renegades matches, with 11 in just five games. He took 2/33 against them earlier in BBL 10.
  • Peter Hatzoglou has taken seven wickets in five matches in BBL 10, including two wickets vs Thunder.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 12, Renegades 9, Thunder 3.
  • Sydney Thunder thrashed Melbourne Renegades by 129 runs on Boxing Day. The Renegades were also bowled out for 60 this season, too.
  • Sydney Thunder scored 209/8 against the Renegades on Boxing Day. Incredibly, none of their batsmen crossed fifty. Each of their top five contributed: Khawaja (34 off 18), Hales (35 off 21), Ferguson (31 off 31), Davies (48 off 23), Sams (22 off 12).

Possible Playing 11

Melbourne Renegades: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. Shaun Marsh, 3. Sam Harper (wk), 4. Rilee Rossouw, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Mackenzie Harvey, 7. Imad Wasim, 8. Will Sutherland, 9. Kane Richardson, 10. Zak Evans, 11. Peter Hatzoglou

Sydney Thunder: 1. Alex Hales, 2. Usman Khawaja, 3. Callum Ferguson (c), 4. Oliver Davies, 5. Sam Billings (wk), 6. Daniel Sams, 7. Ben Cutting, 8. Chris Green, 9. Nathan McAndrew/Chris Tremain, 10. Adam Milne, 11. Tanveer Sangha

Carrara Pitch Report and Weather

Sydney Sixers won both games at Carrara this season, which were both thrillers. They chased down 193 vs Stars in remarkable fashion, and then beat the Renegades with a ball remaining thanks to Jason Holder’s efforts. Another good batting surface can be expected for this match.

Showers are forecast throughout the day at Gold Coast. However, there is some hope that they will ease off by the evening.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Thunder Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Thunder Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 22: REN vs THU Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

On current form, it’s a no contest. However, expect the Renegades to come out fighting. The Thunder’s depth, though, should get them over the line and achieve victory in this one.

Thanks for reading!

BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Scorchers Key Players | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report

Will the end of 2020 see the end of Perth Scorchers’ poor run of form?

The Scorchers, one of the pre-season favourites for the BBL 10 Title, have made an awful start to their campaign, losing each of their first four matches. Their latest was arguably their worst performance, with a strong lineup getting rolled for 94 against today’s opponent; Adelaide Strikers. So, the Scorchers have little choice but to extract revenge, as they sit bottom of the table.

The Strikers, on the other hand, will be looking to continue their rise up the BBL 10 Table. They currently sit in fourth, and have the chance to jump to first with victory here. The bowlers, led by Rashid Khan, were on song last time out against the Scorchers, after Phil Salt played a blinder up front with the bat. Can the Strikers inflict more pain on the Scorchers?

BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Scorchers Key Players | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11: Can Jason Roy deliver the goods for the Scorchers?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Adelaide Strikers:

  • Rashid Khan was player of the match a few nights ago with 2/18 and a superb 29 off 13 balls. He has taken 12 wickets in seven games vs Scorchers.
  • Phil Salt scored 51 off 31 balls against Scorchers on this ground three days ago. Can he make another strong impact?
  • Jake Weatherald slammed 83 (47) and 35 (24) against Scorchers last season.
  • Will Alex Carey produce a big score? He has a middling record against the Scorchers, with 202 runs in seven matches at an average of 28.85.
  • Peter Siddle has taken the most wickets in BBL 10, with an impressive 10 in five games. This includes 2/23 against Scorchers three nights ago. Wes Agar is close behind with nine wickets in five matches, including an impressive 2/16 against the Scorchers.

Perth Scorchers:

  • Liam Livingstone has enjoyed success vs Strikers at Adelaide Oval. Last season, he slammed 69 off 26 balls on this ground.
  • Josh Inglis scored 50 off 27 balls on this ground last season. After an impressive BBL 09 campaign, Inglis has been short of runs in BBL 10 (36 runs in four innings). Will this be his day?
  • Jason Roy and Colin Munro are proven performers in this form of the game. Can they produce a big performance in a time of need?
  • Jhye Richardson has an impressive 12 wickets in six matches vs Strikers, including 3/30 a few days ago.
  • Jason Behrendorff went wicketless against the Strikers three nights ago, but still has an impressive 10 wickets in eight games against them.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 17, Strikers 9, Scorchers 8.
  • All five Adelaide Strikers bowlers took two wickets against the Scorchers on December 28.
  • No Scorchers batsman has made a total of 100 runs yet in BBL 10. Their highest run-scorer to date is Ashton Turner with 88.
  • Mitchell Marsh averages just 16 with the bat in nine knocks vs Strikers (131 runs). Also, he has taken just two wickets in eight matches against them, with both of them coming three days ago (2/14 off four overs).

Possible Playing 11

Adelaide Strikers: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jake Weatherald, 3. Alex Carey (c & wk), 4. Matt Renshaw, 5. Jono Wells, 6. Matt Short, 7. Rashid Khan, 8. Daniel Worrall, 9. Danny Briggs, 10. Peter Siddle, 11. Wes Agar

Perth Scorchers: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Josh Inglis (wk), 3. Colin Munro, 4. Liam Livingstone, 5. Mitchell Marsh, 6. Ashton Turner (c), 7. Aaron Hardie, 8. Jhye Richardson, 9. Andrew Tye, 10. Jason Behrendorff, 11. Fawad Ahmed

Adelaide Oval Pitch Report and Weather

A sunny day is forecast in Adelaide for the annual New Years’ Eve clash. A good, even pitch is expected, which is usually the case at Adelaide. This has the potential for a high-scoring match, particularly if the Scorchers batsmen fire.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Scorchers Key Players | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Strikers vs Scorchers Key Players | Adelaide Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 21: STR vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Scorchers have the potential to turn it on. However, they haven’t shown it so far. Strikers, on form, look good for a win, but a Scorchers win won’t be a surprise.

Thanks for reading!

BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | ST vs MS Dream11 Prediction Today | Thunder vs Stars Key Players | Manuka Oval Pitch Report

Is this the year of the Sydney Thunder? The men in light-green, despite winning the tournament in BBL 05, have largely underachieved in BBL cricket since its inception in 2011.

This time, however, the Thunder arguably field their most balanced side to date. Their reliance on the top order is nowhere near as prominent as it has been over the years, with hitting ability right down the order. The addition of Oliver Davies has done wonders, and now they welcome Sam Billings to the squad, which adds oomph to a side that includes the experienced Ben Cutting and fast-improving Daniel Sams.

Today will be a great test of where they are at. They come up against Melbourne Stars, one of the favourites for the BBL 10 Title. A few nights after heartbreak vs the Sixers, it will be interesting to see how the Stars bounce back against a side whom they have a good record against. In fact, they beat the Thunder earlier this season, and will be looking to do the same once again.

In a game between two superb teams on paper, this shapes up to be a cracking contest.

Also read: Twitter reactions to howler in BBL

BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | ST vs MS Dream11 Prediction Today | Thunder vs Stars Key Players | Manuka Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11: Ferguson to deliver?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sydney Thunder

  • Callum Ferguson is currently the Thunder’s highest run-scorer in BBL 10 (146 runs, avg. 48.66). This includes two half-centuries in four games, with one coming against the Stars earlier this season (54 off 35 balls).
  • Usman Khawaja copped a poor decision against Stars earlier this season. His overall record vs this opposition is good, with 313 runs at an average of 39.13 and strike rate 147.64.
  • How good has Oliver Davies looked in his first two BBL games? The 20-year old stroke-maker has struck 36 (22) and 48 (23) so far. In fact, he was player of the match against the Renegades.
  • Daniel Sams, who took 30 wickets in BBL 09, currently has six wickets in four games in BBL 10. He enjoys playing the Stars, with 10 wickets in six games against them.
  • The young Tanveer Sangha continues to impress with his leg-spin. He is coming off 4/14 against the Renegades. He has taken seven wickets in four games this season, all on this ground. He took 2/26 against the Stars earlier this season.

Melbourne Stars

  • The Stars are set to welcome back Marcus Stoinis. The opener has the most runs in Stars-Thunder matches, with 332 at an average of 41.50. He scored 61 (37) against the Thunder earlier this season.
  • Should the Stars stick with the out-of-form Nick Larkin? Larkin loves playing against the Thunder, with 238 runs against them at an average of 79.33.
  • What an introduction to BBL cricket it was by Nicholas Pooran. The left-hander smashed an extraordinary 65 off 26 balls in his last game vs Sixers. Can he make another huge impact today?
  • Glenn Maxwell is currently the third-highest run-scorer in BBL 10 (3 innings, 156 runs, avg. 78, SR 152.94). He is coming off a superb 71* off 47 balls against the Sixers. Against the Thunder, though, Maxwell doesn’t have the best of records: 10 inns, 198 runs, avg. 28.29, SR 128.57.
  • Liam Hatcher has been superb this season. The right-arm fast bowler has taken eight wickets in three matches, including 3/28 vs Thunder earlier this season.
  • Adam Zampa took 2/10 vs Thunder earlier in BBL 10, part of 13 wickets in nine games that he has for the Stars against Thunder.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Thunder 6, Stars 8.
  • Stars have won their past five games against the Thunder.
  • Both sides have won a game each against each other at Manuka Oval.

Possible Playing 11

Sam Billings is in the Thunder squad, and will likely take the gloves in place of Baxter Holt. The Thunder side is looking fantastic on paper.

Sydney Thunder: 1. Alex Hales, 2. Usman Khawaja, 3. Callum Ferguson (c), 4. Oliver Davies, 5. Sam Billings (wk), 6. Ben Cutting, 7. Daniel Sams, 8. Nathan McAndrew, 9. Chris Green, 10. Adam Milne, 11. Tanveer Sangha

Melbourne Stars also look good, and will be hoping to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to the Sixers. Stoinis is set to return, but Coulter-Nile is expected to be out for 2-3 weeks with a calf injury.

Melbourne Stars: 1. Marcus Stoinis, 2. Andre Fletcher, 3. Hilton Cartwright, 4. Glenn Maxwell (c), 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Nic Maddinson/Nick Larkin, 7. Clint Hinchliffe/Lance Morris, 8. Adam Zampa, 9. Liam Hatcher, 10. Billy Stanlake, 11. Zahir Khan

Manuka Oval Pitch and Weather Report

The Manuka Oval track was a beauty for batting on Boxing Day, with the Thunder smashing 209 against the Renegades. It has been a pretty good track to date this season, and expect more of the same today with two powerful line. The team batting second has won three of the five games so far on this ground in BBL 10.

There is a very small chance of showers in the afternoon, but that should clear in time for the game.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | ST vs MS Dream11 Prediction Today | Thunder vs Stars Key Players | Manuka Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | ST vs MS Dream11 Prediction Today | Thunder vs Stars Key Players | Manuka Oval Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 19: THU vs STA Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

What a match this promises to be between two BBL 10 Title contenders. It is a tough one to predict, but the loss of Nathan Coulter-Nile could prove crucial for the Stars. Thunder to win, even though they have a poor recent record vs Stars.

Thanks for reading!

BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Sarthak Karkhanis
-
0
BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | MR vs SS Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report

It’s a re-match of the most one-sided game of BBL 10 as the Melbourne Renegades and the Sydney Sixers clash at the Carrara Oval in Queensland on the back of contrasting form in the season so far.

When these two sides last met on the 13th of this month, the Renegades were annihilated as they lost by 145 runs, the biggest margin of victory in BBL history. Josh Phillipe and Jordan Silk starred in the batting department while O’Keefe and Dwarshuis picked 7 out of the 10 wickets, as neither bowler nor batsmen of the Melbourne-based team took responsibility.

It’s a clash between David and Goliath. The Sydney Sixers started off on a poor note in the opening game of the tournament against the Hobart Hurricanes but since then the defending champions haven’t looked back, as they have registered a hat trick of wins.

In the previous game, the Sixers pulled out a rabbit out of a hat as they defeated the Stars by a solitary wicket in the last over of 194 run chase. With 5 overs to go, the 2-time champions needed 66 runs with skipper Hughes at the crease and he played a captain’s knock leading from the front with a 96. Earlier in the game, two of the best power-hitters in the league, Maxwell and Pooran scored a whopping 129 runs in the final 9 overs as the Sixers put up a below-par death bowling performance on display.

As for the Renegades, the hill of problems is turning out to be a mountain having lost by a margin of 145 and 129 runs against the Sydney teams in 2 out of the last 3 games. The issues are mounting as no batsman is stepping up and living upto the billing and they hope that fortunes will be different at the Carrara Oval. In addition, they have received a big blow as Imran Tahir has pulled out of the BBL 10 due to personal reasons.

BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | MR vs SS Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11: Aaron Finch has to led the way.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  1. Josh Phillipe registered the highest score by a Sixers’ batsman, when the two sides met earlier in the tourney. He scored valiant 95 and laid the foundation of the Sixers’ victory.
  2. Ben Dwarshuis picked 4/13 against the Renegades as the Aaron Finch-led side was bowled for just 60 runs. These are the best bowling figures in a Sixers vs Renegades clash.
  3. Aaron Finch has scored 340 runs against the Sixers including a century in the previous edition of the BBL.
  4. Shaun Marsh is just 37 runs from scoring 2000 runs in BBL history.
  5. Daniel Hughes scored a 51-ball 96 on the Boxing Day against the Stars and led them to an unlikely victory. He is the leading run-getter in this edition of the BBL.
  6. Kane Richardson with 7 wickets in 4 matches is the leading wicket-taker for the Renegades in BBL 10.

Stats and Facts

  • The Sixers have won 8 games while the Melbourne Red side has won 5 in the head-to-head clash.
  • The Sixers have won the last 3 matches against the Renegades.
  • Steve O’Keefe and Kane Richardson with 8 and 7 wickets each are amongst the Top 10 wicket-takers of BBL 10.
  • Along with skipper Hughes, Sixers’ batsman Phillipe and Vince also make the cut in the top 10 run-getters.

Possible Playing 11s

Both teams are expected to go unchanged.

Melbourne Renegades: 1. Sam Harper (wk), 2. Aaron Finch (c), 3. Shaun Marsh, 4. Rilee Rossouw, 5. Beau Webster, 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Will Sutherland, 8. Imad Wasim, 9. Kane Richardson, 10. Josh Lalor, 11. Peter Hatzoglou

Sydney Sixers: 1. Jack Edwards, 2. Josh Phillipe (wk), 3. James Vince, 4. Daniel Hughes (c), 5. Jordan Silk, 6. Daniel Christian, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Carlos Brathwaite, 9. Steven O’Keefe, 10. Ben Dwarshius, 11. Ben Manenti

Carrara Oval Pitch Report and Weather

There are no chances of rain in Queensland, however the weather is expected to be cloudy.

The pitch was a belter in the Boxing Day game between the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars, and there will be no major change in the nature of the pitch.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | MR vs SS Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | MR vs SS Dream11 Prediction Today | Renegades vs Sixers Key Players | Carrara Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 18: REN vs SIX Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Sydney Sixers are on a roll with 3 wins in their previous three games. Their opponents, Melbourne Renegades have tapered off after their win in the opening game and hence have a lot of things to sort out compared to the defending champions. Hence, the Sixers go into the encounter as firm favourites.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report

BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | HEA vs HUR Dream11 Prediction Today | Heat vs Hurricanes Key Players | Gabba Pitch Report

It’s starting to creep into desperation territory for the Brisbane Heat. Winless in three matches, after a poor season in BBL 09, the Heat will now be without skipper Chris Lynn for six matches due to a hamstring injury.

So, who do they turn to for inspiration? Their batting, except for Jimmy Peirson last time out, continues to be a concern as they can’t put together consistent performances. So, a team performance, like the Sydney Thunder produced yesterday, is a must if the Heat are going to get out of this form slump they find themselves in once again.

And it won’t be an easy task. They run into the third-placed Hobart Hurricanes, who have three wins in four matches this season. And that’s without D’Arcy Short hitting his straps. The Hurricanes look to have greater depth in BBL 10, and will be looking to continue the momentum as the two Sydney teams, who currently sit above them on the table, are looking good so far.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Brisbane Heat:

  • Max Bryant hit 65 (36) and 28 (18) against the Hurricanes last season. Can he build on the starts he’s been making in recent matches? (20, 29, 12)
  • Jimmy Peirson is coming off an incredible knock of 69* (36) to nearly achieve a miracle victory vs Strikers.
  • Tom Cooper has a decent record vs the Hurricanes: 11 matches, 188 runs, avg. 31.33.
  • Mark Steketee has taken 12 wickets in eight games vs the Hurricanes. He could be key in this match.
  • Jack Wildermuth will be key. Earlier this season, he smashed 31 (11) and took 3 wickets vs Thunder. This was after he hit a hundred vs the Indians for Australia A.

Hobart Hurricanes:

  • D’Arcy Short has had a quiet start to BBL 10 (scores of 0, 72, 2 and 1). However, he loves playing against the Heat, with 359 runs against them at an average of 89.75.
  • The world number one T20I batsman, Dawid Malan, is set to play. He has a superb T20 record, with 5,852 runs in 213 matches at an average of 33.63 and SR 129.38. In T20Is, he has smashed 10 50+ scores in 19 matches.
  • Colin Ingram has the most runs for Hobart Hurricanes so far in BBL 10 (4 matches, 145 runs, avg. 36.25).
  • Ben McDermott has the next-most with 135 runs in two matches, including 89* in his last match vs Renegades. Can he improve on his average of 25 in five innings vs the Heat?
  • Scott Boland took 3/16 vs Heat last season.
  • James Faulkner has taken eight wickets in four games in BBL 10.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Heat 6, Hurricanes 10.
  • Brisbane Heat beat Hobart Hurricanes twice last season.
  • Tim David currently has a strike rate of 169.86 in BBL 10 (124 runs, avg. 62.00).

Possible Playing 11

Lewis Gregory has been named in the Brisbane Heat squad after completing his 14-day quarantine. He is a chance of playing. Lachy Pfeffer has also been named. He is Chris Lynn’s batting replacement, and it remains to be seen if he makes the XI.

Brisbane Heat: 1. Max Bryant, 2. Sam Heazlett, 3. Lachy Pfeffer/Simon Milenko, 4. Dan Lawrence, 5. Tom Cooper, 6. Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), 7. Jack Wildermuth, 8. Lewis Gregory, 9. Mark Steketee, 10. Mujeeb ur Rahman, 11. Ben Laughlin/Xavier Bartlett

Dawid Malan is in the Hobart Hurricanes squad, and is set to play.

Hobart Hurricanes: 1. D’Arcy Short, 2. Dawid Malan, 3. Ben McDermott (wk), 4. Colin Ingram, 5. Peter Handscomb (c), 6. Tim David, 7. James Faulkner, 8. Keemo Paul, 9. Nathan Ellis, 10. Scott Boland, 11. Riley Meredith

Gabba Pitch Report and Weather

The Gabba track was a good one for batting in the Heat-Strikers match, even though the scores weren’t too high-scoring (150 vs 148). Expect another good track.

A mostly sunny and warm day is forecast for Brisbane.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | HEA vs HUR Dream11 Prediction Today | Heat vs Hurricanes Key Players | Gabba Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Preview Dream11 Possible 11 Pitch Report | HEA vs HUR Dream11 Prediction Today | Heat vs Hurricanes Key Players | Gabba Pitch Report
BBL 10 Match 16: HEA vs HUR Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

A Brisbane Heat win without Chris Lynn looks a tough ask. Hobart Hurricanes look more balanced and well-rounded, and look good for a win.

Thanks for reading!

1...332333334...502Page 333 of 502