Richard Mann previews Wednesday morning's action from the Big Bash, when Melbourne Stars host champions Brisbane Heat at the MCG.
Cricket betting tips: Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat
1pt Tom Curran top Melbourne Stars batsman at 14/1 (General)
TOM CURRAN made a bright start to his Melbourne Stars career in this season’s Big Bash opener in Perth on Sunday, and the Surrey man looks worth sticking with to play a leading role again on Wednesday.
Curran is a terrific all-round cricketer who initially earned international recognition through his bowling, but his batting has improved markedly in the last couple of years and that was again in evidence against Perth Scorchers.
His brutal 19-ball 37 rescued the Stars batting innings after more woe at the top of the order, though his supporters had to settle for a two-way tie in the top Stars batsman market as Curran was dismissed with the same score as Marcus Stoinis.
Expect Stoinis to be a tough nut to crack again, while Glenn Maxwell will be fit again at some stage, but that doesn’t mean Curran won’t continue to have more than a puncher’s chance in this market.
Batting in the middle order, Curran looks primed to perform rescue acts throughout the season while the Stars batting line-up struggles above him, and this hard-hitting, boundary scorer should revel in the Power Surge, unique to the Big Bash, which is usually taken towards the end of the batting innings.
English fans will remember Curran top scoring in the 2023 final of The Hundred with an impressive, unbeaten half-century, so Sunday was by no means a one-off, and while 14/1 is available about him, I’m happy to get involved.
The game itself, which begins at 8.15am UK time at the MCG, will afford us our first look at 2023/2024 Big Bash champions Brisbane Heat who were so impressive throughout last season.
Heat's brilliant and well-balanced bowling attack seems sure to carry them a long way again this term, but the loss of Josh Brown to Melbourne Renegades, along with a host of international call-ups, has left the batting looking weaker on paper.
As such, that will mean someone like Max Bryant might be given more responsibility, and he was considered in the top Heat batsman market for this match.
However, I’ll hold fire until I get a better feel for their batting line-up, at this stage happy to go solo with Curran who could be set for a big few weeks with both bat and ball.
CLICK HERE to back Curran with Sky Bet
Posted at 2050 GMT on 16/12/24
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