Bottom side Brisbane Heat host Adelaide Strikers in Match 13 of this season’s Big Bash League on Friday aiming for their first win of the campaign.
The 2012-13 champions look to be in another transitional period and have suffered two defeats in as many outings. Both were at the hands of the Melbourne Renegades and they were barely competitive in either.
Adelaide’s form is a different story, with them three from three in 2022-23 and staking an early claim to go all the way.
The Strikers have won nine of the 16 of the pair’s head-to-head matches and the signs are all there to suggest they will improve on that record on Friday.
Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers Betting Tips
Team News
The Heat are still without Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne who are with the Australian Test team ahead of the second Test against South Africa, which begins on Boxing Day at the MCG.
It is also unclear if paceman Michael Neser could be in the same situation. The 32-year-old took a hat-trick in the second match against the Renegades but is part of the Baggy Greens’ wider squad and may be rested as a precaution.
That would likely open the door for Xavier Bartlett to come back into the side.
The Strikers will be without Travis Head and Alex Carey as they are also away with the Aussie Test team, while Cameron Boyce remains sidelined with a calf injury.
After such a fine start to 2022-23, it would be a surprise to see Adelaide make any changes for the match at the Gabba.
Adelaide Strikers to win @ 8/13
Adelaide are the clear favourites in the match betting and rightly so. They have historically had the advantage over the Heat and are well ahead on current form.
They look stronger in all three facets of the game, dominating their opponents with both the bat and ball. In fact, Henry Thornton took 5-3 in their 124-run win over Sydney Thunder as their attack obliterated their opponents, bowling them out for just 15.
That is the lowest score in a completed innings in the history of men’s professional T20 cricket and shows how sharp the Strikers are.
It is tough to see anything but them taking a fourth win of the season from this game.
Jimmy Peirson – Brisbane Heat Top Run Scorer @ 9/2
If a shock is to happen, then Colin Munro will likely be the architect. The South African-born former New Zealand international was previously the world’s top-ranked T20 batsman and has a huge role to play after joining from Perth Scorchers.
However, he has been outshone by skipper Jimmy Peirson this season. The 30-year-old has recorded knocks of 43 and 45 in his team’s two outings this season and also took a couple of catches in their last match against the Renegades.
Munro is a classy operator but Peirson looks to have the better form and offers the greater value in the Top Run Scorer market.
