BBL08 CONTEST PREVIEW GAME 6: STRIKERS v RENEGADES

 

“If the openers (particularly Strikers) fail this team is right in the game. We have already seen two games so far where the middle order had to rebuild and having second and third drop paired together in your team (Turner/Cartwright and Hughes/Silk) or even fifth and sixth (Sangha/Sams) can rocket you up the leaderboard if they rebuild correctly.”

The Re-cap

No luck yesterday with both teams finishing a few points outside the cash thanks to poor showings from pretty much the whole side in the early game (apart from SOK!) and a failure from Wade in the late game.

Tonight is the first game of the BBL08 season where we have recent form on both sides so it should (in theory) get easier from here, make sure you are in with your chance to be part of The Biggest Bash Live Final!

Likely XI’s

Strikers – Carey, Weatherald, Short, Ingram, Wells, Lehman, Neser, Khan, Laughlin, O’Connor, Stanlake (Valente, Nielsen)

  • Siddle is on Test Duties which brings keeper-batsman Neilsen into the side. Big watch on teams tonight because if the Strikers bring Neilsen straight into the team to bolster batting, then Short will get 4 overs with the ball. Likely they will go with O’Connor or Valente though.

Renegades – Ludeman, Wildermuth, Harper, White, Cooper, Nabi, Christian, Sutherland, Boyce, Richardson, Usman Khan (Kel Smith, Mennie)

  • Just the one change with Joe Mennie in for Chris Tremain. Given their three all-rounders I can’t see Mennie cracking the final XI. Re batting order, see no need for them to change their order from last-start win.

Selection Committee

Such an even contest which makes it both fun and tricky at selection. My plan is to trust the spinners once again to get the job done. If O’Connor plays I may change my thinking re Short for an Ingram but currently I’ve squeezed in potentially 20 overs of bowling and 5 top 6 batsman – that’s very solid exposure for one BBL game. Should keep this team right in the mix particularly if early wickets are taken in both innings.

Selection

Jack Wildermuth ($12,000): What’s not to like – gets his 4 overs with the ball, fields in the high catch zones and was elevated to open last start which I don’t see changing. Should be highly owned (50%+) but he is in the game so much I have to have him here.

Cam White ($16,500): Expect the big bear to be low-owned tonight after a first game failure with the bat (22pts). Very likely to get plenty of time at the crease and can play the spinners well. Hoping he bounces back here at sub 20% ownership.

Matthew Short ($14,900): Watch for final lineups but if there is no O’Connor in the team then Short will likely bowl 3-4 overs here which makes him a near must-have given where he bats. Another pretty chalky play but you have to take the exposure especially when it’s this cheap.

Jon Wells ($9,000): My man Wellsy should have had plenty more time at the crease first up were it not for Umpire error. A very nicely made 24pts looks the minimum tonight in a game where I’m expecting the Renegades to make early inroads on the Strikers top order. Unlikely to be more than 15% owned so if he is in early he can win you this contest.

Rashid Khan ($20,000): Must-own. Will get you a minimum of 24pts economy, but history says he takes at least one wicket so you are banking 44pts before he really heats up. A 3/19 effort like last start is 114pts and the Rash is capable of that on any night.

Mohammad Nabi ($17,700): Just the one over with the ball in the first game will (hopefully) turn a few coaches off Nabi but I’m going back all day. I’ll have him at probably twice the field. Big bounce back game with the ball and likely to get plenty of overs out in the middle to build a score then go big late.

Cam Boyce ($9,000): Got his full quota of economy first up (48pts) which wont always happen but was unlucky to go wicketless. It’s just when he bowls is appealing to me. Should bowl 7, 9, 11 and 13 which is often in that rebuilding phase after teams have lost a few in the power play. Good price and has the potential to go big. His price tag and last game score means he will be higher owned than the ridiculous 20% he was in the first game.

Final Thought

If the openers (particularly Carey) fail this team is right in the game. We have already seen two games so far where the middle order had to rebuild and having second and third drop paired together in your team (Turner/Cartwright and Hughes/Silk) or even fifth and sixth (Sangha/Sams) can rocket you up the leaderboard if they rebuild correctly.

Season so far…

Two misses in the double header have depleted our winnings from Game 3. Feeling good about tonight though.

Games: 5

Spend: $75

Win: $57

Profit: -$18

 

By BBL