Brisbane Heat have lost all their matches so far in the 10th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). The situation is likely to get tougher as they now will face the team which is sitting pretty close to the top of the standings currently - Hobart Hurricanes.
What would make the match even tougher for the Brisbane side is the challenge of getting over the hearbreak they suffered in their last match - against Adelaide Strikers - where, after a splendid comeback from a hopeless situation, they ended up losing by just two runs.
But that ins't all! Heat suffered another major setback in the lead up to the last game when their captain Chriss Lynn ended up hurting his hamstring. He had to miss that match and isn't likely to come back any time soon.
The clash of these two teams - at the opposing ends of the points table - promises to be an exciting contest, despite the big discrepancy in their performances so far.
Heat Looking to Get Off the Mark
Brisbane Heat is lying at the bottom of the table as of now. If they have to keep their chances of qualifying for the playoffs alive, they have to start winning. However, as of now, they have several issues to sort out.
Their batting is not firing and their best player in this department - captian Chris Lynn - is out as well. New captain Jimmy Peirson played an astonishing innings in the last match but he would need support from the top order.
Nobody except Lynn and Peirson has got a good score under their belt this season. This has to change if Heat want to move up the ladder.
Interestingly, Brisbane's bowling is looking good. Xavier Bartlett and Jack Wildermuth have both bowled reasonably well. Mark Steketee also hasn't been bad. Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, who shone with the bat in the last game, is their trump card and could make the difference with the ball.
Hurricanes Seek Perfection
Despite being very close to the top of the table, Hobart Hurricanes have room for improvement. To begin with, their bowling is looking over-reliant on James Faulkner and Scott Boland.
In fact, Boland has also discovered his form in the last two games. Nathan Ellis, who made a big impression last year hasn't shone in this season, so far, while Riley Meredith is also yet to have a good, decent set of figures under his belt in the current edition.
South Africa's former international Johan Botha is in the squad but whether he plays or not depends on the conditions. However, with there not being much contribution from Ellis or Meredith, he might be picked ahead of them.
West Indian Keemo Paul hasn't had a good start to the season. But having invested in him, the team is likely to persist with the pacer.
The batting department gets a huge boost with the arrival of Dawid Malan - the best batsman in world T20I cricket presently, according to the rankings. With Colin Ingram, D'Arcy Short, and Ben McDermott already in good form, Malan's entry would make the batting even more strengthened.
Hurricanes vs Heat: Match Details
Venue: Gabba, Brisbane
Date and Time: December 27, 1:45 PM IST, 7:15 PM Local, 8:15 AM GMT
Broadcasters: Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV
Pitch Report
Brisbane is traditionally a venue providing assistance to pacers. However, in its first match of the season, both Danny Briggs and Rashid Khan looked deadly. This may suggest that either the surface is dry or slow. Johan Botha may be brought into the team by Hurricanes.
Weather and Toss
The skies are expected to be clear but with the occassional cloud making its way across. The temperatures would be around 22 degrees, making the evening comfortable for players. Toss would not be that important and won't be affected by weather.
Probable XIs
Brisbane Heat: Sam Heazlett, Max Bryant, Simon Milenko, Dan Lawrence, Jimmy Peirson (C and Wk), Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Laughlin
Hobart Hurricanes: D'Arcy Short, Will Jacks, Ben McDermott (Wk), Dawid Malan, Peter Handscomb (C), Colin Ingram, Tim David, James Faulkner, Johan Botha, Keemo Paul, Scott Boland
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