BBL 2020: Cricket Australia announces Dec schedule | Cricket Australia announces schedule for December matches in BBL 2020
Cricket Australia announced the December schedule of the upcoming Big Bash League which is about to begin in December. The tournament will be played in Tasmania, Queensland, Canberra, and Adelaide with 56 regular-season games, though the venues will be confirmed until December 31. With border restrictions and biosecurity protocols in place, the eight teams will be based in either Tasmania or Canberra to start the season, with six games to be played at Blundstone Arena in Hobart, two at UTAS Stadium in Launceston, and six at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
As per their official statement, from December 23 to 31, there will also be three matches at the Gabba, two at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and two at the Adelaide Oval – including the traditional New Year’s Eve game. “We are working through scenarios for the 35 regular season matches and finals series to be played in the new year with our partners and government bodies,” Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s Head of Big Bash Leagues, said in a statement.
CA is hoping for some relaxation of border regulations until the first month of 2021, so that they could take games to Perth, Sydney and Melbourne in the New Year. “An announcement on these venues will be made in the coming weeks. This is without doubt the most complex fixturing task ever undertaken by the League and we are excited with where it has landed. It has been a difficult year for so many people around Australia and we look forward to bringing the BBL to every state, should border conditions allow us to”, added Dobson.
Decision on England players playing the BBL is still unfixed as they have expressed that the exhausting bubble life is taking a toll on them. Also, England’s tour to South Africa, ongoing Indian Premier League and Australia’s quarantine rules has put a question on their availability until after Christmas.
Jason Roy, Liam Livingstone (both Perth Scorchers), Tom Banton, Lewis Gregory (both Brisbane Heat), Dawid Malan (Hobart Hurricanes) and Tom Curran (Sydney Sixers) were this week all named in the England squad for their tour of South Africa, which finishes less than 24 hours before the BBL begins. Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings and Reece Topley, who have all been in talks about BBL stints but have not officially signed, are also in the touring party, as mentioned in their official statement.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
The Player’s mental health is at top priority this summer: Justin Langer | Justin Langer says managing the mental health of player is key this summer
After living in the bubble life for over a few months, former Australian opener and current coach Justin Langer says that managing player’s mental health during summers is going to be crucial. A bunch of players has been part of the bio-secure bubble right from August when the Aussies visited England for their first tour post-pandemic.
“When we sat down with all the boys individually in England and showed them the schedule coming up, you could see the blood drain out of their face – for personal and professional reasons,” Langer said this in a chat to ESPNCricinfo.
David Warner, Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins among others have been part of the England tour as well as the IPL season which is happening in UAE. “We’re going to have to be really careful with how we manage our players this summer. While some people won’t agree with it at times, our people, our players and staff are high priority for us to make sure they are healthy and happy.” Justin Langer added.
Smith and Jofra Archer have already expressed their discomfort about playing the other series post IPL. Smith has in fact opted out of BBL 2020 as he wants to spend some time with the family and live life outside the restricted of these bio-secure bubbles that has been imposed post COVID-19.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: MI vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | MI vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
After 56 matches, filled with speculation, debates and predictions as to who will make the IPL 2020 playoffs, the final four has been decided.
IPL 2020, one of the most competitive in recent times (although games were one-sided in the past week), has provided a release from everything going on around us. Viewership is up 28% compared to IPL 2019, and the anticipation has gone up a notch as we get closer to finding out who the champions will be.
Mumbai Indians remain favourites to take out the Title. There is an argument that they have played better cricket in 2020 than in their Title-winning 2019 season, as just about all their wins were achieved by a big margin. At the same time, their defeats, except for their last game against SRH, were closely fought. So, as key players return after a rest from an inconsequential game, can they hit their straps right away and lock in a spot in the IPL 2020 Final?
Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, endured a very rocky period towards the end of the league stage. Four defeats in a row, including an embarrassing defeat against MI, increased concerns that they may actually even miss the playoffs. However, a strong performance against RCB brought smiles back on the faces of all involved, and can act as a confidence-booster ahead of this big clash. So, can Shreyas Iyer’s men take a huge step towards achieving Delhi’s first ever IPL Title?
IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: MI vs DC Preview Dream11: Can Rohit deliver in this match?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Quinton de Kock has a big role to play in this one. The classy opener has struck 395 runs in his last 10 knocks at an average of 49.38. This includes scores of 53 (36) and 26 (28) vs DC.
But, the big question is can QdK build on his run of starts? MI will want him to build on scores of 18, 26 and 25 in his last three games.
Rohit Sharma returned from injury last game, much to the confusion of many. The MI skipper has the most runs in MI-DC games, with 565 at an average of 33.24 and SR 130.79.
Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with a half-century last match vs RCB. It is no coincidence that DC lost four games in a row where Dhawan was out cheaply. He will be crucial today, and possesses a really strong record vs MI: 22 inns, 733 runs, avg. 43.12, SR 129.05.
Ajinkya Rahane made his first significant contribution of the season with 60 (46) last game. So, DC will be hoping for more of the same. It could happen, as Rahane has a solid career record vs MI: 18 inns, 591 runs, avg. 36.94, SR 124.68.
Ishan Kishan has been superb for MI, but most of his great contributions have come as opener. Can he deliver in the middle order? He is coming off 33 (30) vs SRH, but MI will want greater fluency from a player who smashed 72* off 47 balls vs DC a few days ago.
Watch out for Suryakumar Yadav. The elegant right-hander has had a superb season (13 inns, 410 runs, avg. 41.00, SR 150.18), which includes scores of 53 (32) and 12* (11) vs DC this season.
Will Rishabh Pant burst into life? The left-hander has been quiet in IPL 2020, with a strike rate of just 112.35. His excellent record vs MI, though, is cause for optimism: 8 inns, 240 runs, avg. 34.29, SR 155.84.
The Hardik Pandya-Kieron Pollard duo will be key for MI. Hardik has been rested in recent games, and needs to overcome a sub-par record vs DC (121 runs, avg. 15). Pollard is coming off 41 (25) vs SRH, and can be counted on to produce when needed: 259 runs in IPL 2020, three dismissals, SR 193.28.
Krunal Pandya has an excellent batting record vs DC: 8 inns, 235 runs, avg. 39.17, SR 179.39. Plus, he has eight wickets to his name against them.
Kagiso Rabada (25 wickets) is back as the Purple Cap holder after Jasprit Bumrah (23 wickets) was rested vs SRH. The battle between these two will be key. Bumrah completely dominated DC a few days ago on this ground, with 3/17.
Trent Boult is also set to return after being rested. The left-arm seamer also destroyed DC a few days ago with 3/21.
Anrich Nortje has played a key role for DC this season, and he will be key once again. The fast bowler has taken 19 wickets in 13 matches in 2020, and is coming off a player-of-the-match performance vs RCB (3/33).
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 26, MI 14, DC 12.
Mumbai Indians won both meetings vs Delhi Capitals in the league stage. In the first meeting, MI chased down DC’s 162 at Abu Dhabi. In the second, MI strolled to the target after restricting DC to 110/9.
Bumrah to be used against the DC middle order? Dhawan, Rahane and Iyer have a combined total of 159 runs at a strike rate of 134.75 against Bumrah with no dismissals. In contrast, Pant, Stoinis and Patel average less than 12 against Bumrah in T20s (SR below 110).
R Ashwin has dismissed Quinton de Kock three times in five innings.
Prithvi Shaw has scored just 49 runs in his last seven innings.
Shreyas Iyer to perform if DC bat first? His record when batting first is 320 runs in nine innings at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 133. When batting second, the performances are not at the same level: 5 inns, 101 runs, avg. 20, SR 98.
The team batting first has won 15 of 24 matches at Dubai. However, chasing teams have had more joy in recent times, winning six of the last nine games. In these nine games, the average winning score batting first is 178.66. In the other six games where the chasing team won, the average first innings score is 153.5.
So, with dew around, the team batting first might need a score around the 175-180 mark to feel safe.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: MI vs DC Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: MI vs DC Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
The team batting first needs to put a strong score on the board. Mumbai Indians’ greater batting depth could count for plenty in this game, as DC have been reliant on Shikhar Dhawan in recent times.
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020 | 5 new gems who held their own well in the bottom 4 teams in IPL 2020
The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has entered into its last week and we are only some days away from finding our champions of this season. We already have got our top four; those obviously played some extraordinary cricket and hence have made it into the playoffs.
The other four teams, though being competitive, missed out by fine margins. But, they surely have found some extremely talented guys, who turned out to be the big positives for them. In this article, I will throw some light on those guys who are expected to play key roles for the success of our bottom four teams in the future. Let’s go.
5. Ravi Bishnoi (Kings XI Punjab)
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020: Ravi Bishnoi performed well.
Among the popular names of Shami, Cottrell and Jordan, there was a young Ravi Bishnoi who made the world notice him through some very impressive performances for KXIP. Bishnoi was the second-most successful bowler for KXIP as he finished with 12 wickets from 14 games with a decent economy of 7.37.
Moreover, he took eight wickets in the first seven games, which consisted literally the worst phase of KXIP in the tournament, as they had lost six games out of those seven. His variations kept the likes of Pant, Morgan and de Kock quiet. And, his brilliant spells were instrumental in some magical victories for KXIP including a low scoring thriller against SRH.
It’s definitely not easy to lead the spin department of your team with such excellence in the very first attempt in a really competitive league like IPL. So, he has definitely shown his capability with the ball and I expect him to win matches on his own for KXIP in future.
4. Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020: Ruturaj Gaikwad is impressive.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, one of the most talked about openers in the Indian domestic circuit, didn’t originally get his chance in his preferred opening position as he was sent in the middle order in his first few games in the IPL. Its consequence was really bad as he looked clueless in the middle overs.
But, your mental toughness is reflected by the way you bounce back. The young lad overcame his tough days in style by scoring a matured 65* off 51 and thus guided CSK to a comfortable victory against RCB in his 4th match. He then scored two consecutive half-centuries after that knock, with a strokeful 72 off 53 balls against KKR and 62* from 49 balls against KXIP. Moreover, all these knocks came while chasing, which signifies his ability to access the situation and play accordingly, with his incredible control of timing a key feature of his game.
He finished with 204 runs from six innings at a tremendous average of 51. The way he overcame a seriously bad patch and showed his class and maturity, was admirable. It shows his fighting spirit as a player and therefore I expect a lot from him in the future.
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020: Sam Curran was a shining light for CSK.
If you ask me who is the most exciting global young talent right now, my answer will be Sam Curran. He has showcased his all-round skills so many times in his brief career so far. Although he impressed us to a large extent in his very first IPL season playing for KXIP, his role for CSK was much bigger this season due to the bad form and injury concerns of their first choice all rounder Dwayne Bravo.
It’s only because of his eye-catching performances that Curran is among one of those few names I expect to be retained by CSK. He is going to be their premier all-rounder in the future as his performances this year were noteworthy with both bat and ball. With 13 wickets from 14 games, Curran was the most successful bowler for CSK in IPL 2020. Also, with the bat, he showed his hard hitting abilities whenever he got a chance. Moreover, the kind of talent he has, I am damn sure he going to be a regular match winner for CSK in future.
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020: Varun Chakravarthy had a fine season.
The spin bowling department of KKR seemed to be in a miserable state when Sunil Narine was reported for suspect action and Kuldeep Yadav was ineffective in almost every game. During these tough days, a man named Varun Chakravarthy, with the experience of just one IPL game in 2019, turned out to be the savior for them.
He bowled some memorable spells including a game-changing spell of 4-0-20-5 against the Delhi Capitals. Overall, he took 17 wickets from 13 games at an average of 20.94 and a SR of 18.35. Also, he had an extremely impressive economy of 6.85 this year, which signifies how accurate he was. He dismissed the likes of David Warner, MS Dhoni (twice), Shane Watson, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jos Buttler, which speaks volumes for his quality as a bowler. I was really impressed by the way he bowled in both the middle overs and death overs with equal effectiveness. With Narine being reported for his action frequently and moreover being read easily by the batsmen these days, I expect Varun to lead the spin attack of KKR with utmost success in the future.
5 Priceless Gems Found in the Bottom 4 Teams in IPL 2020: Rahul Tewatia was excellent.
Despite playing the IPL since 2014, Tewatia hadn’t really made his mark in the league till that night at Sharjah. He was completely down and out after playing so many dot balls in the middle overs during the chase of a mammoth 224 against KXIP. In came Sheldon Cottrell to bowl the 18th over and suddenly we all witnessed perhaps the greatest cameo of IPL 2020, when Rahul Tewatia smashed him for five sixes in that over.
That magical knock gave him enormous confidence and there was no looking back from him since then. The way he controlled the chase versus SRH and dominated Rashid Khan was marvellous. He finished the tournament with 255 runs from 11 innings at an average of 42.5 and a decent SR of around 140. He also bowled some really useful spells and picked 10 wickets having an impressive economy of 7.09. So definitely, he was the biggest positive for the Rajasthan Royals this year and I expect him to do wonders like these in future.
So, this is my list of the priceless findings of our bottom four teams, viz. KKR, KXIP, CSK and RR, who could play vital roles for the success of their respective teams in future. Have your say!
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
Marlon Samuels retires from professional cricket | West Indian cricketer Marlon Samuels retires from professional cricket
Marlon Samuels has retired from professional cricket. The man who was part of the winning team when West Indies won both the T20 World Cups, always spoke his mind. Samuels had scored a maiden Test hundred at Eden Garden, Kolkata when he was 21-year-old. According to ESPNcricinfo, the 39-year-old had informed Cricket West Indies about his decision in June having last played for his country in December 2018 against Bangladesh.
The star of West Indie’s two T20 World Cup 2012 and 2016 began his International career in 2000. In 2012, the World T20 finale that was held in Colombia hit a splendid 78-run knock off 56 runs, and in 2016 he hit an unbeaten 85 off 66 balls.
Samuels has often been surrounded by controversies during his career which included a two-year ban for corruption, as well a racist and family-targeted outburst at Ben Stokes. In 2008, he was also banned by the ICC for taking money and bring the “game of cricket into disrepute”. He was recently in the news for making ludicrous comments about Ben Stroke’s family. Samuels played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs, and 67 T20s at the International level, has scored 11,134 international runs including 17 centuries across all formats. He also has 152 international wickets to his name.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
David Warner backs his team in more do-or-die matches | Sunrisers Hyderabad feeling confident with more do-or-die matches ahead
The Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by 10 wickets to secure their position in IPL 2020 Playoffs. Restricting MI to 149 runs with help of Sandeep Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem, SRH showed character with their bowling.
And when they came out to chase, openers – captain Warner and Wriddhiman Saha finished the game by scoring 85 runs in 58 balls and 58 runs in 45 balls respectively. Nadeem, who hasn’t played too many matches for the team sealed this chance and won the game for the team.
“To hold them to 150 on this ground is outstanding. Nadeem, to go for 18 in his four against a side with so many left-hand batsmen, is exceptional. There is great resilience in the side. We always out our best foot forward. A lot of the credit goes down to the franchise owners. We looked back to 2016 when we had to win every game to win the title. When you have your backs against the wall, you have nothing to lose”, said the captain.
Talking about his 85 runs knock, Warner said that he felt proud on giving the team a great start. “That is my duty and responsibility. Fortunately we haven’t had to chase a big total”, he added.
SRH will face RCB in the Playoffs. Warner said that they are a very good side with alot of dangerous players. “We beat them in the 2016 final. Another do-or-die game. Hopefully we can carry the momentum from this game”, he said.
Nadeem who was awarded Man of the Match said that he had been working hard on his skills with a carrom ball and round-arm balling which eventually paid off today. “I am used to not getting so many games. when you get your chance, you give your 100%. I have been working hard, on the carrom ball, for the last two years. I thought it was the right time to use it. The round-arm ball too. Sometimes it doesn’t bounce if it lands on the leather. If it lands on the seam, it turns a lot. When you are contributing to the team, it boosts you up. If you see our bowing unit, everybody is doing his job for the last few games. It is a small ground but as you pitches are turning slower so if you pitch in the right areas, it is difficult to hit”, he said.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
The hamstring is absolutely fine, says Rohit Sharma after Ganguly said he is injured | Rohit Sharma says he is feeling fine after return from injury
Rohit Sharma walked out for the toss against at Sharjah Stadium and stirred some confusion about his hamstring injury. Just a day back, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly gave an interview to PTI saying Rohit is injured at the moment. Otherwise, why would the board leave out a player like him?
“He is the vice-captain of the national (limited-overs) team. We will have to assess him. I don’t know (when he can come back). He hasn’t played so far since the time he has got injured. We want him to recover. It’s the BCCI’s job to get their best players on the park. If he recovers, he plays”, he said.
Rohit Sharma at the toss! Yes there is a qualification at stake but this is huge news. All eyes on him and his fitness
However, after missing four matches, Rohit came back to play and puzzled the whole narrative about his fitness. Speaking at the post-match presentation, the MI captain said, “I was happy to be back, it’s been a while. I’m looking forward to playing a few more games here, let’s see what happens. It (hamstring) is fine, absolutely”.
This brings the BCCI selectors into a questionable state and appointment of KL Rahul as new vice-president in the India-Australia series. Sharma had suffered a hamstring strain in his left leg in a match against Kings XI Punjab on October 18. MI lost the game against SRH by 10 wickets which lead to securing their place in the playoffs.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
Ganguly hopeful on Ishant Sharma’s return to the Border-Gavaskar Test series | BCCI president Sourav Ganguly confident that Ishant will be fit for Australia
Ishant Sharma, who dropped out of the IPL 2020 campaign, might get fit to return before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia. Sharma returned to India after he rehabilitated at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He played for Delhi Capitals when he picked up an injury and was ruled out of the league.
While talking to PTI, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said that they are expecting Ishant to be back for the Test matches. “Injuries are a part of sport and it will happen. The lesser you play, the more injured you will get. The more you keep playing, your body gets fitter, stronger and you will get less injured,” he said.
“All of them came back after seven months of being locked at home with literally no activity. I don’t think injuries should be looked at like ‘Oh god, something is not right’.
Apart from him, Rohit Sharma’s name is also under the clouds due to his hamstring injury after October 18th match against Kings XI Punjab. After BCCI announced the squad, his name was missing. However, Mumbai Indians physio is working for the betterment of his health and might come out with some positive news.
“The Indian physio Nitin Patel is there. Rohit himself knows that he has got a long career ahead and it’s not just this IPL or next series for him. I am sure he is mature enough to do what is best for him,” Ganguly said.
“I can tell you that things you do easily at the practice might be a bit of struggle during match situation. The muscles react differently to pressure situations. You don’t want him to get injured again. He has a hamstring tear and it will get ruptured again. It will then get longer for him to come back. But yes, there are people working with him. We will have to assess him. I don’t know (when he can come back). He hasn’t played so far since the time he has got injured. We want him to recover. It’s the BCCI’s job to get their best players on the park. If he recovers, he plays,” Ganguly added.
Rohit Sharma then stepped out for Mumbai Indians’ last league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 3 November. Rohit said the hamstring is feeling fine.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
WBBL 2020 Match 20: BH-W vs SS-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WBBL 06 BH-W vs SS-W Dream11 Prediction Today | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers Key Players | Blacktown Pitch Report
WBBL 06 finally had a day without rain interruptions on Tuesday and the teams will be really glad with that development. The defending champions Brisbane Heat take on the Sydney Sixers in Match 20 of the Rebel’s Big Bash.
The Sydney Sixers have been unbeaten in the tournament so far with two wins and have shared points on a couple of occasions. In the previous game against the Renegades, they chased a target of 120 with 8 overs to spare and their top 3, expectedly, had a dominant share in their performances.
On the other hand, the Jonassen-led are still trying to find their feet in the tournament as post their victory in the inaugural game, they have had a couple of no results and lost their previous game against the Thunder side by 14 runs on Duckworth Lewis and Stern method.
Heat have won their last 4 encounters against the Sixers and will be looking to extend their winning run over their opponents.
WBBL 2020 Match 20: BH-W vs SS-W Preview Dream11: Can Grace Harris influence this game?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Brisbane Heat
Grace Harris is the fourth-highest run-getter in the matches between the two sides (221) and is the leading wicket taker as well (15).
Jess Jonassen has been decent with the bat so far and the skipper will be crucial game. She also has nine wickets vs Sixers.
Delissa Kimminice has the second-most wickets in Heat-Sixers matches (11).
Sydney Sixers
Allysa Healy scored a half-century in the last game and is in splendid form so far.
Campbell has picked 4 wickets in the WBBL 06 and will be key against the Brisbane Heat. 3 out of the 4 wickets came in the last match.
Ashleigh Gardner played a cameo of 20 off 8 balls in the previous game and will be crucial here.
Stats and Facts
Sydney Sixers have won only one match while chasing against the Brisbane Heat
Ellyse Perry, Jess Jonassen, Grace Harris and Ashleigh Gardner are all a part of the top 5 run getters in the matches between the two sides.
Possible Playing 11
Sydney Sixers: 1. Alyssa Healy (wk), 2. Ellyse Perry (c), 3. Ashleigh Gardner, 4. Erin Burns, 5. Marizanne Kapp, 6. Dane van Niekerk, 7. Angela Reakes, 8. Lisa Griffith, 9. Hayley Silver-Holmes, 10. Jodie Hicks, 11. Stella Campbell
Blacktown International Sportsground Pitch and Weather Report
There was some dew last evening as Melbourne Stars chased down 150+ vs Adelaide Strikers. Expect the captain who wins the toss to chase.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1
WBBL 2020 Match 20: BH-W vs SS-W Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WBBL 2020 Match 20: BH-W vs SS-W Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
The Sixers and Heat have both been decent in the tournament so far but the Sixers have been clinical in their victories. They will fancy their chances and the top 3 of Gardner, Healy and Perry will be crucial for the victory.
WBBL 2020 Match 19: PS-W vs ST-W Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WBBL 06 PS-W vs ST-W Dream11 Prediction | Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder Key Players | Blacktown Pitch Report
The Perth Scorchers lock horns with the Sydney Thunder in the Match 19 of WBBL 06. Both the teams will hope that they take the field for 20 overs, which is set to happen as the weather forecast looks good once again.
The Sydney Thunder are in the top half of the league with two wins and two no results so far. They restricted the Heat to 30/7 in the last game and have grabbed four points in the last two games.
Their opponents, the Perth Scorchers, won their first match but weather and luck have both not been in their favour in the Rebel’s Big Bash so far. Scorchers have been extremely dominant with six wins in their last six games against the Thunder and will be looking to extend this run.
WBBL 2020 Match 19: PS-W vs ST-W Preview Dream11: Sophie Devine will be key
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Perth Scorchers
Beth Mooney is the leading run-scorer of the Scorchers (72) with just the one dismissal so far in WBBL 2020. Also, Mooney has a solid record vs Thunder over the past few years, with 322 runs when she was playing for the Heat (avg. 32.20).
Sophie Devine hasn’t fired yet but then she can be crucial for the Scorchers’ chances in the WBBL. She played well vs Thunder when she was with the Strikers, with 268 runs at an average of 38.29, along with seven wickets.
Taneale Peschel has an economy rate of 4.5 in the season so far.
Piepa Cleary has taken 11 wickets for Scorchers vs Thunder at a strike rate of just 15.
Sydney Thunder
Sammy Jo-Johnson’s wicket taking potential will be handy for the Thunder against the Scorchers openers.
Heather Knight has scored at a strike of over 170 in the WBBL 06 so far, including 83 off 39 balls on the weekend vs Strikers. She has also picked four wickets for the Thunder so far.
Knight has been superb in T20Is this year: 13 inns, 486 runs, avg. 40.50, SR 135.75.
Samantha Bates has taken four wickets so far in WBBL 06 (second-most). However, she has taken just one wicket in nine innings vs Scorchers (avg. 208.00). Can she improve on that today?
Stats and Facts
Scorchers have won their last 6 encounters against the Thunder side.
Head to Head – Thunder five wins while the Scorchers have registered two more victories (7).
Blacktown International Sportsground Pitch and Weather Report
The Blacktown Sportsground track offered value for both batters and bowlers yesterday. In the first game, the Hurricanes bowled out the Renegades for just 81, before chasing it easily. In the second game, Melbourne Stars chased down a 150+ score against the Strikers.
This match will be a day game, where the pitch may be on the slower side after two matches on it.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1
WBBL 2020 Match 19: PS-W vs ST-W Dream11 Prediction
Option 2
WBBL 2020 Match 19: PS-W vs ST-W Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
The Scorchers have blown hot and cold in the season so far although the weather has played its part. Sydney Thunder have won 2 of their previous games and they will be the favourites ahead of this encounter.
