Adelaide Strikers play their first match of the Big Bash League against Hobart Hurricanes.
Hobart won their first game by 16 runs against Sydney Sixers in the BBL 2020. Colin Ingram struck a fine 55, and Tim David played a quick-fire knock of 58 to take them to a total of 178. James Faulkner and Riley Meredith pitched in with two wickets each.
Matt Renshaw will the key man for Adelaide's batting lineup. They have a good bowling attack with the wily Rashid Khan and the experienced Peter Siddle.
Team News
D'Arcy Short will be disappointed with his duck in the last match. He will look to score big in this game. Scott Boland was a bit expensive. He may fine-tune his skills with more game time.
Jake Weatherald and Philip Salt will be the other key batsmen for Adelaide. Daniel Worrall's swing can trouble batsmen.
Pitch and Conditions
Playing in home conditions, Hobart will have good knowledge of the pitch. It is a great surface for batting once the batsmen settle down. If they lose wickets regularly, they may end up posting a below-par total that can be chased down. With an early morning start, limited swing will be on offer for the pacers.
Probable Playing XI
Adelaide Strikers (ADS): Jake Weatherald, Philip Salt, Matt Renshaw, Ryan Gibson, Jonathan Wells, Harry Nielsen, Matthew Short/Danny Briggs, Peter Siddle (c), Rashid Khan, Daniel Worrall, Cameron Valente
Hobart Hurricanes (HBH): D Arcy Short, Will Jacks, Colin Ingram, Peter Handscomb (c &wk), Macalister Wright, Tim David, James Faulkner, Johan Botha, Nathan Ellis, Scott Boland, Riley Meredith
Key Battles
Matt Renshaw vs Johan Botha
Renshaw can blunt any bowling attack with his defense. He can play long innings with his dogged resistance. The southpaw is a proven match-winner who loves to play in seaming conditions. Being a gritty player, he is fit enough to score even in testing conditions.
Botha conceded 18 runs in the last game without taking a wicket. He has come out of international retirement to play for Hobart. He never allows a batsman to score freely and can tie up down with his clever variations. He can take wickets with the new ball.
Rashid Khan vs Colin Ingram
Ingram hit a half-century in the previous match. He is a fearless player and a ruthless striker of the ball. The southpaw is known for elegance in his shotmaking. He is an established player and can take the game away with his position at the crucial number three spot.
Rashid's unpredictable googlies can outfox Ingram. He bowls similar lines from stump to stump with a quick pace. A lot of batsmen struggle to pick up his clever variations. He can bowl at any stage of the innings and scoring runs freely against him is always tough. He is a multi-dimensional player who can make a huge impact on his day.
Prediction
Hobart will aim to continue their winning momentum while Adelaide will look to start strong. It will be a direct contest between Hobart's power hitters and Adelaide's wicket-takers.
Cricwizz predicts Adelaide Strikers to win the match.
