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Match Preview: Strikers look to overcome batting worries against Sixers

Akshay Saraswat


The Sydney Sixers are flying high after their magnificent win over Melbourne Renegades. They are very likely to find a tougher challenge when they take on Adelaide Strikers at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday. 

Strikers, on their part, are also not looking bad, having won their previous match against Hobart Hurricanes, a team which was riding the crest of three wins on a trot. So, it should be an interesting contest with both teams looking to sustain their momentum. 

Sixers on Top

The performace by the Sydney team in their last game couldn't have been more perfect. First their batsmen put on 205 and then the bowlers bundled the opposition out for 60. 

The batting is looking very solid for the Sixers with many batsmen seeming to be in good nick. Opener Josh Philippe smashed a near ton in the last game while his partner Jack Edwards also had a good knock in the first game. 

Englishman James Vince already has a half-century under his belt, continuing his good showing in Big Bash cricket. Daniel Hughes and Jordan Silk, especially the latter, also batted well in the match against the Renegades, providing further confidence to the batting unit. 

The fact that Daniel Christian and Carlos Brathwaite are batting below would make bowlers wary of this batting unit. 

The bowling shone radiantly in the last game with Ben Dwarshuis leading the way with four wickets. He received great support from Steve O'Keefe who opened the bowling. This means that the team is well endowed for both spin-friendly and pace-friendly wickets. Benjamin Manenti has also been decent with his efforts. 

The big question is whether Jason Holder would be brought in since he is now available. He would be a very handy option both with the bat and ball and may force Christian or Brathwaite to make way for him. 

Strikers Have Batting Issues

Peter Siddle has grabbed the headlines with his five-for in the last game. But he is not the only one doing his job well. Young Wes Agar has also been on mark. Rashid Khan is yet to make the big impact expected of him. But he won't be like that for long. Sooner or later, his quality will bring about a good performance. 

In the batting department, Alex Carey's innings in the last game would give some confidence to the Adelaide team but the rest of the batting line-up hasn't fired that much. Opener Jake Weatherland showed form with a half-century also but his partner Phil Salt needs a score. 

Strikers need somebody to step up and get a big score. Phil Salt and Jonathan Wells are quality players who will be expected to do that. 

Sixers vs Strikers: Match Details

Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Date and Time: December 20, 1:45 PM IST, 7:15 PM Local, 8:15 AM GMT

Pitch Report

So far, batting hasn't been that difficult in Hobart. Despite the venue's reputation for helping swing bowlers, scores over 150 have been common. So, one can expect another high-scoring game. 

Weather and Toss

Some rain is expected in the area during daytime. This also means there could be cloud cover. In Test matches, such conditions may translate into good bowling conditions but that is not likely to be the case tomorrow. Batting first or chasing will depend more on the specific strengths of the team and the comfort level of their batsmen. 

Probable XIs

Sixers: Josh Philippe (Wk), Jack Edwards, James Vince, Daniel Hughes (C), Jordan Silk, Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite, Ben Dwarshuis, Steve O'Keefe, Benjamin Manenti, Thomas Rogers

Strikers: Phil Salt, Jack Weatherald, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (C &WK), Jonathan Wells, Matthew Short, Harry Conway, Rashid Khan, Daniel Worrall, Wes Agar, Peter Siddle 

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