BRISBANE H VS. MELBOURNE R: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, MATCH 39 | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Match 39 of the Australian T20 League 2020 has Brisbane H taking on Melbourne R at the Manuka Oval on Thursday evening.
Brisbane H came close to making it four straight wins but lost to Sydney S in a thrilling match that went down to the final ball. They are in the sixth position with 16 points from their nine games.
C Lynn was again the key man as he scored an important half century, but with others not contributing much, the Heat could only put up 148 runs in the first innings. They started well with the ball but D Christian proved to be decisive as he guided the Sixers to victory. J Wildermuth, J Bazley, and M Ur Rahman all picked up two wickets each.
Melbourne R ended their 7-match losing streak as they beat Adelaide S in a last over finish. They will hope to build on that win in the remaining matches of the tournament.
The Renegades have some good bowling options as P Hatzoglou and J Prestwidge picked up five wickets against the Strikers. In the run chase, M Nabi produced a match-winning knock of 71* off just 41 deliveries, and with useful cameos by the other batsmen, the Renegades were able to win with a ball remaining.
With this being a must-win game for both the teams, it makes up for an exciting game of T20 cricket at the Manuka Oval.
Match Details
- Match: Brisbane H vs. Melbourne R, Match 39
- Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
- Date & Time: Jan. 14, 2020, at 1.45 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
Brisbane H
- C Lynn, M Bryant, J Denly, J Burns, L Gregory, J Bazley, J Peirson (C & WK), J Wildermuth, X Bartlett, M Morkel, M Steketee
- X-factor substitutes: M Kuhnemann, S Heazlett
Melbourne R
- A Finch (C), S Marsh, S Harper (WK), B Webster, J Fraser-McGurk, W Sutherland, I Wasim, J Prestwidge, K Richardson, P Hatzoglou, N Ahmed
- X-factor substitutes: M Harvey, J Lalor
Weather and Pitch Report
The weather is expected to be clear and sunny in Canberra. The temperature will be around 26 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Manuka Oval has remained pretty good throughout the season. It’s a great pitch to bat on as the ball comes on nicely. Slower bowlers should get some help from the pitch towards the second half of the game. Cutters and length variations will be key for the pace bowlers. The average first innings score in the seven games played here has been 171 runs.
Although the chasing team has won four of the seven matches played this season, the pitch gets slow and it’s hard to time the ball in the second innings. Expect the team winning the toss to bat first. A first innings score of around 170 runs should be a competitive one.
Key Players
- C Lynn is in terrific form since coming back from his injury. He has scored 223 runs at an average of 44.6 and a strike rate of 151.7. His last three scores read - 56, 48, and 30. He will look to play a big knock in this game.
- L Gregory has been a good addition to this Heat side, contributing with both bat and the ball. He has picked up 6 wickets and scored 96 runs in the six matches.
- M Steketee is the highest wicket taker of the season for the Heat, with 14 wickets at an average of 13.42 and a brilliant economy rate of 6.26. Expect him to pick up wickets here too.
- A Finch has been struggling for runs this season. He has scored just 146 runs in eight innings at a disappointing average of 18.25. He is a terrific T20 player and needs one good knock to come back to form.
- J Prestwidge has to play the all-rounder’s role now that M Nabi is absent for the rest of the season. He has been decent in the four matches he has played, picking up 4 wickets and scoring 53 runs. The Renegades will hope to see a big performance from him in this match.
- P Hatzoglou is the second-highest wicket-taker for the Renegades this season, with 10 wickets at an average of 24 and an economy rate of 8.88. He had his best figures in the last game, picking up 3 for 43 runs, and will be ready to take more wickets here.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: S Harper
- Batsmen: J Denly, C Lynn, M Bryant, A Finch
- All-rounder: J Wildermuth, L Gregory, J Prestwidge
- Bowlers: M Steketee, M Ur Rehman, P Hatzoglou
- Captain: M Steketee/J Wildermuth
- Vice Captain: J Prestwidge/P Hatzoglou
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own dream team, and play fantasy cricket matches. 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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