SYDNEY S VS. PERTH S: AUSTRALIAN T20 LEAGUE, QUALIFIER | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS

In a qualifier of the Australian T20 League 2020/21, Sydney S take on Perth S at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Saturday evening. The winner of the qualifier will head straight to the final but the loser of the game will get another chance to qualify.

Defending champions Sydney S secured the top spot in the points table after a dramatic final day of the group stage, which saw them win a thriller against Melbourne S. Bowling first, Sixers’ B Dwarshuis shone with the ball as he claimed 3 for 27 in his four overs. Chasing 178 for victory, some solid efforts by J Vince, M Henriques, and J Silk set the Sixers on the way and D Christian put in the finishing touches with his quick-fire 49* off just 23 balls. They won with just one ball remaining.

Perth S missed the opportunity to finish top of the ladder as they lost to Brisbane H in their final match of the group stage. It was only their second loss in their last ten outings. Nonetheless, they still get two shots to qualify for the final.

Despite the best efforts of J Behrendorff and A Tye, Perth S were left to chase a challenging  target of 182 runs for victory. The Scorchers’ dangerous batting line-up started well with J Roy and L Livingstone but they lost their way eventually in the middle overs with a flurry of wickets. M Marsh did his best, scoring 54* from 26 at the end but could not prevent his team from falling short by just six runs.

Although it is not a knockout game, both teams will still be looking to win and reach the final in their first attempt. Expect a close encounter between the two best teams of the competition at the Manuka Oval.

Match Details

• Match: Sydney S vs. Perth S, Qualifier
• Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
• Date & Time: Jan. 30, 2021, at 1:45 PM IST

Probable Playing XI

Sydney S

• J Philippe (WK), J Vince, D Hughes, M Henriques (C), J Silk, D Christian, C Brathwaite, B Manenti, S O’Keefe, S Abbott, J Ball
• X-factor substitutes: L Pope, J Avendano

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

Weather and Pitch Report

The weather is expected to be clear and sunny in Canberra during the match. The temperature will be around 22 degrees during the game.

The Manuka Oval is the most used venue in the tournament so far. The pitch is a good one for batting, especially when it’s hard. However, both pace bowlers and spinners will find some bounce and help from the surface here. Leg spinners, in particular, have had a good time here in the previous games. 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

• J Philippe is the second-highest run scorer this season, with 454 runs at an average of 32.42 and a strike rate of 149.34. He has a good record at the Manuka Oval, scoring 84 and 64 in the two matches played here. The match-winning innings of 84 runs came against the Scorchers.
• J Silk has been in superb form in the his last three matches, with scores of 35*, 78, and 42. He is the second-highest run scorer for the Sixers this season and will look to continue his brilliant form in this match.
• B Dwarshuis is the highest wicket taker for the Sixers this season, with 19 wickets at an average of 17.15. He has picked up 8 wickets in the last three games and will look to add more wickets to his tally against the Scorchers.
• J Roy is the second-highest run scorer for the Scorchers this season, with 352 runs at an average of 35.2 and a strike rate of 133.84. He scored 41 and 54 in the last two matches and is in good form. He will hope to play a big innings here to take his team into the final.
• C Munro is the top run scorer for the Scorchers this season, with 411 runs in 13 matches at an average of 34.25 and a strike rate of 129.65. His consistency at the top of the order is one of the main reasons behind the success of Perth S this season. He will look to continue that form here.
• J Richardson has been the star bowler for Perth S this season, picking up 27 wickets at an economy rate of just 7.08 and an average of 13.25. His exploits have earned him a place on the Aus T20I squad. He will look to pick up more wickets against the strong batting unit of Sydney S.

Howzat Dream Team

• Wicketkeepers: J Inglis, J Philippe
• Batsmen: M Henriques, J Silk, C Munro, J Roy, M Marsh
• All-rounder: D Christian 
• Bowlers: B Dwarshuis, S Abbott J Richardson, J Behrendorff

• Captain: C Munro/J Richardson
• Vice Captain: J Philippe/B Dwarshius

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.

Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!