Just three days after facing each other at Brisbane, Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat would be fighting it out again at the Gabba. The first round was won by Brisbane Heat, giving themselves their first win of the tournament.
But the two sides are evenly matched and predicting the winner would be an excercise in speculation more than anything else. Heat are without their captain and best batsman Chris Lynn, out with an injury. Hurricanes, on the other hand, now boast of having the no. 1 ranked T20I batsman in their team - Dawid Malan.
Heat Heating Up
It has not been an easy season for the Brisbane side. They lost their first three matches and then, their captain Lynn just before the start of their third game. However, in that match itself, the stand-in captain Jimmy Peirson showed great character to almost take his team home from a position of certain defeat.
But Lynn's absence isn't just harmful due to his captaincy. With him out, the batting order looks a bit shaky. Peirson has stepped up to the challenge but he needs more support from the top order which has been underwhelming.
They will have big hopes from their openers Max Bryant and Sam Heazlett who batted really well against Hurricanes on Sunday. The middle order is yet to fully fire. Perhaps, it would be a good idea for Peirson to shift himself to the top-4.
Among bowlers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman seems to be getting a hang of things. Lewis Gregory proved to be the surprise package in the last match with figures of 3/22. Frontline bowlers like Xavier Bartlett, Jack Wildermuth, and Mark Steketee have blown hot and cold. But they will have a good opportunity to pick up wickets if Mujeeb could apply some pressure.
Hurricanes Seek Revenge
The Hobart side was riding high at the start of the tournament and were even at the top of the points table. However, they have since falled behind the two teams from Sydney.
The batting line-up is a little unstable with the opening partnership not certain. D'Arcy Short is a star player but he is yet to produce his best. In the previous match, Ben McDermott, who has been very impressive, was promoted to open the innings alongside him. That experiment should continue, not dropped after just one game.
The position of captain Peter Handscomb is a little tricky. He is yet to play a decisive knock in this season. Not a big-hitter by inclination, Handscomb would like to be the pivot around which the batting line-up revolves. But for that, he'll need bigger scores.
But the ace in the pack of the Hurricanes is Dawid Malan. The best batsman in T20I cricket is expected to make a splash. He could be the difference-maker for the team. Hopes would also be high from Colin Ingram and James Faulkner.
Faulkner has also been the best bowler for the team. Scott Boland has given him good support. While the last match didn't go according to plan, the team would be confident about them. Riley Meredith is starting to show his quality. But the surprise package was Short in the last game with his three wickets. It would be interesting to see whether this was a flash in the pan or a harbinger of bigger things for the opening batsman.
Heat vs Hurricanes: Match Details
Venue: Gabba, Brisbane
Date and Time: December 30, 1:45 PM IST, 6:15 PM Local, 8:15 AM GMT
Broadcaster: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV
Pitch Report
It seems like spin is proving to be the decisive factor at Gabba this year, at least in the Big Bash League. This is odd for a ground that was traditionally regarded as the most seamer-friendly in Australia. Perhaps the slowness of the wicket is making slower bowlers difficult to get away.
Weather and Toss
Rains are expected in the morning and the clouds are expected to hang around in the evening as well. This could assist the seamers but may also leave some moisture in the surface that the spinners will exploit. The captain winning the toss may think about bowling first as well since that may give his bowlers an opportunity to use the conditions.
Probable XIs
Heat: Max Bryant, Sam Heazlett, Jimmy Peirson (C, Wk), Dan Lawrence, Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth, Lewis Gregory, James Bazley, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mark Steketee, Xavier Bartlett
Hurricanes: D'Arcy Short, Ben McDermott (Wk), Dawid Malan, Peter Handscomb (C), Colin Ingram, Tim David, James Faulkner, Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith, Scott Boland, Wil Parker
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