Wayne Clark’s BBL Preview: Scorchers vs Strikers

Posted on December 24, 2018 | Posted by Wayne Clark

SCORCHERS v STRIKERS
Wednesday 26 December 2018

With both teams coming off disappointing losses each will be keen to take the points, especially the Scorchers looking for their first of the season.

The Scorchers will appreciate getting back on to their bouncier home turf at Optus Stadium and hopefully their top order can fire in the 6 over power play.

There needs to be changes in the batting order with Ashton Turner and Hilton Cartwright given more opportunity early in the innings. Michael Klinger will be important at the top of the list with David Willey maybe being used more as a finisher.

Jason Behrendorf has been excellent with the new ball, but the Scorchers will be expecting more from Andrew Tye and Nathan Coulter-Nile to restrict a powerful Strikers line-up.

Apart from a lethal top three of Carey, Weatherald and Ingram; the Strikers also have form players in Mathew Short and Jonathan Wells, who have been finishing their innings powerfully. Early wickets will be the key for the Scorchers.

Any attack with Rashid Khan will always be difficult to score against, so it becomes important to get runs in the early power play. The Strikers will look to Billy Stanlake, Michael Neser early and Ben Laughlin to finish the innings and keep the pressure on a struggling Scorchers batting line-up.

This should be a belter of a game and difficult to select; but unless the Scorchers batsmen can turn their form around the powerful Strikers batting line-up could prove the difference.

Tips

Winner: Strikers ($1.95)

Strikers Most Runs: Colin Ingram ($4)
Scorchers Most Runs: Hilton Cartwright ($7.00)

Strikers Most Wickets: Ben Laughlin ($4.50)
Scorchers Most Wickets: Andrew Tye ($3.70)

Odds correct as at 9am, 24th December 2018.