BRISBANE H VS. ADELAIDE S: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, ELIMINATOR | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
The knockout round of the Australian T20 League 2020/21 is here. The Eliminator will see Brisbane H take on Adelaide S at the Gabba on Friday evening.
Brisbane H and Adelaide S finished fourth and fifth in the points table, respectively. The winner of this contest will go on to play the knockout game with Sydney T, while the loser will be eliminated from the tournament. Both teams have had a similar season, with 7 wins and 7 losses each. However, Adelaide S were victorious in both the matches played against Brisbane H this season.
Brisbane H come into the eliminator game after two consecutive wins: against Melbourne R by 26 runs and against Perth S by 6 runs. In both the wins, captain C Lynn and M Labuschagne, whose return has been a big boost to the side, played key roles. The Heat bowling unit has been led by M Steketee throughout the season. X Bartlett and J Wildermuth have been the other impact bowlers. M Labuschagne’s spin has also been quite handy for the team as he has taken regular wickets.
Adelaide S have not been very consistent this season. They are coming off a 9-wicket loss against Sydney T in a rain-affected match. The Strikers batting unit has largely been dependent on A Carey and J Weatherald, who are both in good form coming into this game. P Salt and J Wells have also made useful contributions in the middle order. Adelaide’s bowling is led by W Agar and the experienced P Siddle, who will have to do the bulk of the damage for their team to win this contest.
With no more second chances from this point onward, it should be an exciting game of T20 cricket at the Gabba.
Match Details
- Match: Brisbane H vs. Adelaide S, Eliminator
- Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane
- Date & Time: Jan. 29, 2020, at 1:45 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
Brisbane H
- C Lynn, M Bryant, M Labuschagne, J Denly, J Burns, L Gregory, J Peirson (C & WK), X Bartlett, M Swepson, M Steketee, B Laughlin
- X-factor substitutes: J Wildermuth, M Morkel
Adelaide S
- A Carey (WK), J Weatherald, P Salt, T Head (C), J Wells, R Gibson, M Neser, D Worrall, P Siddle, W Agar, L O’Conner
- X-factor substitutes: C Valente, H Conway
Weather and Pitch Report
The weather is expected to be mostly cloudy in Brisbane during the match. The temperature will be around 23 degrees at the start of the game.
The Gabba pitch has been a little two-paced this season. The ground has some big boundaries, so the batsmen will have to time their shots very well. Both pace and spin bowlers should get some bounce and help from the surface. The first innings score in the five matches played here this season has been 157 runs.
Teams batting second have had a better win record at the Gabba this season. However, in a knockout game, it’s always better to win the toss and put runs on the board. A score of around 165-170 can be a challenging one to chase down here.
Key Players
- C Lynn is the third-highest run scorer of the tournament, with 420 runs in ten matches at an average of 42 and a strike rate of 157.3. He has scored consecutive half centuries in the last two games to take his team to the knockout round. He will be eager to continue that streak in this match.
- M Labuschagne has made a huge impact in all the three matches he has played this season for the Heat. He has scored 123 runs at a strike rate of 131, and has taken 6 wickets at an average of 10.83. He was the Player of the Match in the last game, for scoring 46 runs and picking up 3 wickets.
- M Steketee is the highest wicket taker for the Heat this season. He has picked up 22 wickets at an average of 21.18. Half of his wickets have come in the five matches played at this very venue. He will look to continue his good form at home against the Strikers.
- A Carey is the fourth-highest run scorer of the tournament, with 412 runs in 12 matches at an average of 34.33 and a strike rate of 126.38. He has been in good form at the top of the order for the Strikers and scored a brilliant century the last time these two sides met.
- J Weatherald is the second player to score 400 runs for the Strikers in the tournament. He has scored 401 runs at an average of 36.45 and a strike rate of 143.72. He opened the innings in the last few matches and scored 80* in the last game against the Thunder.
- W Agar is the highest wicket taker for the Strikers this season. He has picked up 21 wickets at an average of 20.33. His best figures of 4 for 27 in the tournament came against the Heat a week ago. He will look to give a good performance here too and help his team win.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: A Carey
- Batsmen: M Bryant, C Lynn, J Weatherald
- All-rounders: M Labuschagne, T Head, M Neser
- Bowlers: M Steketee, M Swepson, W Agar, P Siddle
- Captain: A Carey/W Agar
- Vice Captain: M Labuschagne/C Lynn
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and win cash prize. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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