This is the first opportunity this BBL season for the Wolf to analyse two teams who have both played matches with the Strikers repeating their grand final heroics in a 5 wicket win over the Brisbane Heat and the Melbourne Renegades defeating the Perth Scorchers by 4 runs on Thursday.
| MATCH/TIME (AEST) | BIG BASH BEST BETS |
| ADELAIDE STRIKERS v MELBOURNE RENEGADESADELAIDE OVAL
SUN 23 DEC 0715PM |
Adelaide Strikers ($1.70)Fall of first wicket Renegades under 18.5 ($1.88)
Adelaide Strikers highest opening partnership ($1.75) |
ADELAIDE STRIKERS (1-0) ($1.70) v MELBOURNE RENEGADES (1-0) ($2.15)
There were plenty of highlights from the Strikers opening win against the Heat. The Wolf was impressed by their sportsmanship to withdraw their appeal against a James Pattinson run out decision but it was Peter Siddle who put on the clamps during the powerplay and Alex Carey who top scored with 70 that set the tone for an upset win at the Gabba.
The Renegades did all the damage with the ball and held on with the bat to defeat the Scorchers at Marvel Stadium. Pakistan’s Usman Shinwari and Kane Richardson did the damage with the ball, taking 2/17 and 3/23 from their 4 overs.
Fall of first wicket Renegades under 18.5 ($1.88)
Adelaide Strikers highest opening partnership ($1.75)
The Wolf knows that Melbourne will be a much stronger side once Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris are available but until then their batting lineup remains a weakness despite their win against the Scorchers. The Renegades lost 4 wickets for just 17 runs to open their chase against the Scorchers and the Wolf expects a strong Strikers bowling attack to exploit that weakness in this game.
Punters can choose to go two ways on this one, the Renegades to lose an early wicket or the Strikers to have the higher opening partnership.
VALUE: Carey to Hit a Six, Khan 2+ Wickets & Adelaide Most Sixes @ $5.00
Afghani spinner Rashid Khan was part of the Wolf’s value multi in game one, taking the most wickets for the Strikers with 3/19. He now has the most wickets in T20 cricket in a calendar year…and there is still one game to play for Khan to extend that record.
The Wolf is particularly confident in the last leg of this multi. The Renegades bowled particularly well to hold the Scorchers to just 103 but they only scored five 6’s for the match and relied on Harper and Mohammad Nabi to steer them out of trouble after losing early wickets.
Whilst Alex Carey was the only player to hit one over the fence against the Heat with four 6’s, Adelaide were chasing a bigger total and with players like Jake Weatherald and South African Colin Ingram, the Wolf expects the Strikers will find some boundaries in front of their home crowd.
BEST BETS:
Adelaide Strikers ($1.70)
Fall of first wicket Renegades under 18.5 ($1.88)
Adelaide Strikers highest opening partnership ($1.75)
Teams:
Adelaide Strikers squad
Travis Head (c), Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Michael Cormack, David Grant, Colin Ingram (South Africa), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Liam O’Connor, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jonathan Wells, Nick Winter
Melbourne Renegades squad
Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Boyce, Dan Christian, Tom Cooper, Zak Evans, Harry Gurney (England)*, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Tim Ludeman, Joe Mennie, Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Kane Richardson, Usman Khan Shinwari (Pakistan)*, Will Sutherland, Chris Tremain, Beau Webster, Cameron White, Jack Wildermuth