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BBL10 | Preview: Thunder face Sixers in Sydney Smash as they fight for survival

Abhishek Singh

It is going to be a battle for survival for the Thunder as they take on the cross-town rivals Sixers in what is going to be the most important game of their campaign in Adelaide. The Men in Fluorescent Green have lost three games in a row and hence what was looking like a certainty a few days ago, their chances of making it to the Playoffs have gotten slimmer by the day. 

This match is also important because if they are not able to win this one, the would-be facing Adelaide in two games straightaway at the Strikers’ home ground, winning those two matches on the trot would become very difficult, especially considering the form of the Strikers in their last game against the Heat. In this second Smash of the season, apart from all these things, avenging the last defeat would also be somewhere in the corner of all Thunder men's minds.

Ferguson must find the right match

The problem with the Thunder team in the last three games have been the throwing away of the wickets and all key batsmen getting out all at once. It is something that the team needs to look at and address as soon as possible. Even after having the top four as strong as they have with the likes of Alex Hales, Usman Khawaja, Ferguson himself, and then Billings coming at four, they haven’t really been able to utilize the death overs or even the power surge. 

On a batting-friendly Adelaide track, it would hence be necessary for skipper Ferguson to either anchor the innings or delegate it to someone like Khawaja and then let there be a free flow of runs from the other end. Similarly in the bowling department, their dependence on just Daniel Sams wouldn’t do any good as he wouldn’t be available for the three most important games of the Thunder campaign after getting a bone and ligament injury against Hurricanes at Manuka Oval. 

It is therefore important that the rest of the fast bowlers strategize their areas to bowl in and which overs they will bowl alongside the two spinners in Tanveer Sangha and Chris Green. 

Henriques, Abbott boost to the Sixers

Already in a very strong position as of now, the Sixers have been given a big boost in the form of their skipper Moises Henriques and fast bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott joining them in the Sydney Smash. While this would pose selection problems, but at the same time, it is going to be a real challenge for the opposition to face a stronger Sixers team than they faced last time around at Manuka. 

With Josh Philippe and Steve O’Keefe in the best of their forms and two great all-rounders in Dan Christian and Carlos Brathwaite already available and going great, the inclusion of Henriques and Abbot is something that will boost the chances of Sixers going 2-0 in the Sydney Smash this year, until and unless Thunder find some inspiration from within. 

Sixers vs Thunder: Match Details

Match Number- 48

Date and Time- Jan 22, 2021, 01:45:00 pm IST, 07:15pm Local, 08.15 am GMT

Venue- Adelaide Oval

Broadcast- Sony LIV, Sony Sports Network

Pitch Report

The Adelaide wicket looks like a usual T20 wicket with a lot of runs scoring opportunities for batsmen and the bowlers have to really slog it out to get desired results. The only way bowlers can overpower the men with the willow in their hands is by being consistent with their variations. Bowling length or in a particular channel wouldn’t help on this wicket until and unless you have 200 runs in the kitty.

Weather and Bat Flip

The skies are going to be clear and the temperature perfectly all right for a cricket game hovering in the twenties of teh celsius. In such a situation, a skipper winning the toss would go for fielding first, although batting first wouldn’t be a bad option either, especially for Sixers to put pressure on the Thunder batsmen by scoring big in the first innings. 

Strongest XI Sixers

Josh Philippe (wk), Daniel Hughes, James Vince, Moises Henriques(c), Jordan Silk, Daniel Christian, Carlos Brathwaite, Steve O'Keefe, Sean Abbott, Jake Ball, Lloyd Pope

Strongest XI Thunder

Usman Khawaja, Alex Hales, Callum Ferguson (c), Sam Billings (wk), Chris Tremain, Oliver Davies, Ben Cutting, Nathan McAndrew, Chris Green, Adam Milne, Tanveer Sangha

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