BBL08 CONTEST PREVIEW GAME 5: BRISBANE HEAT v HOBART HURRICANES
“5 top order batsman and a couple of young spinners on a possibly (likely) rain-effected game. It’s an eggs-in-one-basket play and this side very much needs Lynn and Short to carry it to cash.”
Likely XI’s
Heat – McCullum, Bryant, Lynn, Burns, Heazlett, Pierson, Cutting, Mujeeb, Steketee, Swepson, Kuhnemann (Lalor, Doggett)
- No Pattinson is big news for this Heat side. Doggett/Lalor/Kuhnemann fighting for his spot. Suspect the latter.
Scorchers – Short, Doolan, McDermott, Bailey, Wade, Faulkner, Doran, Milenko, Botha, Archer, Rose (Moody, Meredith)
- Hobart likely to stack batting and just deal with whatever Brisbane make off their bowling. No Mills so expect Milenko and Faulkner to bowl their full overs here with Archer, Botha/Rose/Short to bowl 8 between them. If Short is dismissed early expect Wade to be elevated to maintain that left-right combination.
Selection Committee
If the rain stays away from the not-so-sunny Gold Coast we will get a skiddy batting-friendly game hopefully tonight with both sides likely to stack their batting, field first and back deep batting orders to get the job done whatever the chase. Tough to not do likewise at selection and stack the side full of batting, but a lack of all-round options batting high up the order means some bowlers must needs be taken.
Selection
Chris Lynn ($22,400): I just can’t leave him out. Not against a Hurricanes side with 8 overs of off-spin from Rose and Botha. Pairing him with Short was tough but if they both go off tonight this team will be right at the point end!
Max Bryant ($9,000): Dropped a sitter on debut but the kid can play and what batter way for him to get that confidence back than get a score in front of his home crowd on the Gold Coast.
Ben McDermott ($16,900): I will be very heavy on maca here. A class batsman who can knock it around or clear the fence depending on the game situation.
Alex Doolan ($10,000): Options were fairly limited given my cap squeeze but I don’t mind taking Doolan given he will likely open in a game that could be rain-effected. And with no Pattinson that Heat seam attack does not frighten me at all.
D’Arcy Short ($24,200): This is a stupid price tag to pay but as we have mentioned the Heat lack bowling class so taking Short against a lesser seam attack is a solid play. Could get him at good ownership given his price tag in a game many will have Lynn.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman ($9,000) Should have had a wicket in his first over but got smacked around instead. Liked what I saw. Don’t like the negative correlation with taking Mujeeb who should open the bowling as well as the top 3 bats for the Canes, but the salary cap squeeze was on. Hopefully we can goldilocks it and Mujeeb can get some economy points without taking out our batting order.
Matthew Kuhnemann ($8,000): Off-spinner who I hope more than think will play. Was a forced price selection and one I’ll have to live with going for a team of runs-scorers.
Final Thought
5 top order batsman and a couple of young spinners on a possibly (likely) rain-effected game. It’s an eggs-in-one-basket play and this side very much needs Lynn and Short to carry it to cash.