PERTH S VS. BRISBANE H: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, CHALLENGER | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the challenger of the Australian T20 League 2020/21, Perth S take on Brisbane H at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Thursday evening.
Perth S were made to pay for a slow start to their innings as they lost to Sydney S in the qualifier by 9 wickets. Now they get a second chance here as they take on an in-form Brisbane H.
J Inglis led the batting charge with his unbeaten 69 runs while A Turner and C Munro provided good support with their cameos. Perth S set a competitive 167 target. However, the Scorchers’ bowling unit let the team down as Sydney S chased down the target in just 17 overs losing just one wicket. Perth S has a good all-round squad and will look to bounce back from that disappointment.
Brisbane H continued their superb form as they won their fourth game in a row to remain in the hunt for the title. They beat Sydney T in the last game, and are now just one win away from the final.
The Heat bowlers did well and managed to restrict the dangerous Sydney T to 158, before backing that up with a superb batting effort. The openers, J Denly and C Lynn, were dismissed early but M Labuschagne steadied the innings. Later, S Heazlett and J Peirson put on a brilliant unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 92 to seal a victory for Brisbane H.
With Sydney S awaiting to clash with the winner of this game in the grand final, it will be an exciting match at the Manuka Oval.
Match Details
- Match: Perth S vs. Brisbane H, Challenger
- Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
- Date & Time: Feb. 4, 2021, at 2:10 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
Perth S
- J Roy, L Livingstone, C Munro, J Inglis (WK), M Marsh, A Turner (C), A Hardie, A Tye, F Ahmed, J Richardson, J Behrendorff
- X-factor substitutes: J Paris, C Bancroft
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
Weather and Pitch Report
The weather is expected to be cloudy with the possibility of thunderstorms in Canberra during the match. The temperature will be around 20 degrees during the game.
The Manuka Oval pitch is good for batting, especially when it’s hard. Batsmen will enjoy the ball coming on to the bat nicely. Seamers and spinners should also get enough help from the surface, especially in the second innings. The average first innings score in the games played this season has been 170 runs.
Chasing teams have won the last four matches played here very comfortably. Expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 175 runs should be a competitive one here.
Key Players
- L Livingstone has scored over 300 runs for the Scorchers this season at an average of 25.33 and a strike rate of 124.59. His quick starts at the top of the order are crucial to Perth’s chances in the tournament. He has also been bowling consistently, picking up 2 wickets in the last two games.
- C Munro is the top run scorer for the Scorchers this season, with 441 runs in 13 matches at an average of 33.92 and a strike rate of 128.94. He has not scored a half century in the last four matches and will look to bounce back with a big score here.
- J Richardson has been the star bowler for Perth S this season, picking up 27 wickets at an economy rate of just 7.22 and an average of 14.59. He had a rare rough last game against the Sixers and will look to bounce back with a match-winning spell in this match.
- C Lynn will be happy about the fact that his team has managed to win matches even without any significant contribution from him. He is the highest run scorer for the Heat in this tournament but has scored only 16 runs in the last two games. Given his form throughout the tournament, a big knock from him should not be far away.
- M Labuschagne has turned around the fortunes of the Heat in the last five matches that he has played for the team. He has scored 161 runs at an average of 32.2 and has taken 10 wickets at an average of 11 this season. He will again be the go-to man for the team in the challenger.
- M Swepson picked up 2 wickets for the fourth time consecutively. He has a total of 8 wickets at an average of 17 and an economy rate of 6.8. His spell will be a key factor in his team’s battle against the hard-hitting Perth S batsmen.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: J Inglis
- Batsmen: C Munro, C Lynn, J Denly
- All-rounders: L Livingstone, A Hardie, M Labuschagne
- Bowlers: J Richardson, J Behrendorff, A Tye, M Swepson
- Captain: C Munro/A Tye
- Vice Captain: M Labuschagne/C Lynn
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, 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.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
