Second-placed Sydney Sixers takes on sixth-placed Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.
Sydney was crushed by 86 runs by Perth Scorchers in their last match.
Brisbane Heat won by 18 runs against Melbourne Stars in a 10-over match curtailed by rain.
Head to Head
Matches Played- 13, Sixers- 10, Heat- 3
Team News
Chasing a tough target of 184, Sydney's batting line-up collapsed like a pack of cards except for Jack Edwards who scored 44 runs. Jake Ball was expensive, Daniel Christian and Jackson Bird went wicketless. Ben Dwarshuis may come back into the side.
Chris Lynn smashed a 23-ball 48 and Joe Burns chipped in with an 11-ball 22 as Brisbane put up 115 runs in 10 overs. Mark Steketee was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped 3 wickets. It was the third win in a row for Brisbane.
Pitch and Conditions
Out of 5 matches played in Queensland so far, the chasing teams have won four times. Even totals above 190 are not safe on this belter-like surface. The pitch is great to bat on as the new ball comes nicely to the batsmen. The weather is expected to be cloudy without any chance of rain.
Probable Playing XI
Sydney Sixers (SYS): Josh Philippe (wk), Jack Edwards, James Vince, Daniel Hughes (c), Jordan Silk, Daniel Christian, Carlos Brathwaite, Steve O'Keefe, Jackson Bird, Jake Ball/Ben Dwarshius, Lloyd Pope
Brisbane Heat (BRH): Max Bryant, Chris Lynn (c), Joe Denly, Joe Burns, Lewis Gregory, Jimmy Peirson (wk), James Bazley, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Xavier Bartlett, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Key Battles
Jack Edwards (SYS) vs Mark Steketee (BRH)
Edwards played a fighting knock of 44 in the previous match without any support from the rest of the batsmen. The right-hander relies on his sweet timing of the ball to score his runs. He is technically very strong. It would be great if he manages to improve his strike rate as he takes some time to settle down.
Steketee took three wickets in the last game. He made smart use of the home conditions. He is the third-highest wicket-taker for Brisbane in the BBL. Being a utility player, he can bowl effectively at any stage of the innings and make the needed breakthroughs.
Jackson Bird (SYS) vs Chris Lynn (BRH)
Lynn led from the front hitting 48 runs in the previous match. The hard-hitting right-hander can adapt to different situations well. He is an experienced T20 player due to his game-changing abilities. He has hit the most sixes in the BBL and the most runs for Brisbane. He can be dangerous when he gets going in full flow.
Bird did not take any wicket in his four-over quota in the last game. The right-arm pacer hits the deck hard. He has come back into the side after recovering from a career-threatening calf injury.
Prediction
A win for Brisbane could catapult them to the third spot in the points table with 5 wins. Sydney can grab the top spot with a victory and also move closer to a spot in the playoffs. Brisbane's batting line-up is in better nick as Sydney's middle-order has repeatedly failed to fire. Sydney has won all their 3 games in Queensland this season and will have good knowledge of the conditions.
Cricwizz predicts Sydney Sixers to win the match
