With two games from the Big Bash on Friday, Richard Mann has a series of best bets, including a big double and a 33/1 top batsman fancy.
Cricket betting tips: Brisbane Heat v Sydney Sixers
2pts double Sydney Sixers to beat Brisbane Heat/Perth Scorchers to beat Sydney Thunder at 2.11/1 (General)
2pts Xavier Bartlett top Brisbane Heat bowler at 17/5 (888Sport)
1pt Jack Edwards top Sydney Sixers batsman at 14/1 (BetVictor)
1.5pts Sam Billings top Sydney Thunder batsman at 13/2 (General)
0.5pts Chris Green top Sydney Thunder batsman at 33/1 (General)
Big Bash fans have another double-header to enjoy on Friday, starting with Brisbane Heat against Sydney Sixers at Coffs Harbour, 7:05am, UK time.
Given the format, it was inevitable the Sixers would lose a game along the way somewhere, and their batting imploded spectacularly in Hobart on New Year’s Day.
Nevertheless, the Sixers still top the league table with four wins from five, and they look good business at 4/5 to see off the Heat who have now lost their last three and were very poor when smashed up by Melbourne Stars last time out.
The Stars came into that match having lost their opening five matches, so the form is hardly strong, and were it not for a brilliant rearguard from Max Bryant (77 from 48 balls), the Heat’s score of 149-7 batting first would have been considerably less.
Heat batting goes cold
Prior to Bryant’s riposte, the Heat had slumped to 39-4 in admittedly challenging conditions against the new ball, and the batting just looks so much weaker than the line-up which charged to title glory 12 months ago.
Michael Neser is fit again, so that will strengthen what is a very fine bowling attack, but he'll need to hit the ground running.
Tim Alsop also returns, so will replace fellow Englishman Tom Banton, though I don’t personally see that as a positive, and the Heat promise to be outmatched again.
With that Heat top order not convincing, the returning and very dangerous Neser was considered in the top batsman market, but he’ll need to get back up to speed pretty quickly and I’ll leave him alone for now.
Bartlett rates the best bet
In the top Heat bowler market, XAVIER BARTLETT once again boasts outstanding claims and 17/5 still looks too big.
Bartlett has nine wickets in five games so far this term, including 4-10 in a losing cause against the Stars, and his excellent economy rate is a big plus with this market now being settled by most firms on least number of runs conceded in the event of a tie.
Big X is PUMPED 🔥
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 1, 2025
Xavier Bartlett gets his second wicket and it's game on at The Gabba. #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/Q8Vel8WxHU
The Sixers will know Bartlett is the main threat, but they generally have most bases covered and a hiccup against the Hurricanes doesn’t worry me too much.
This team has proven itself time and time again, and the bowling has impressed this term, brushing aside the retirement of stalwart Steve O’Keefe as the likes of Todd Murphy and Ben Dwarshuis have really stepped up.
Hard-hitting Edwards the value
Most of the top six is functioning well, and James Vince has a century to his name already, while I’m not about to give up on JACK EDWARDS who is too big to ignore at 14/1.
The strapping all-rounder shaped with an abundance of promise when moved up to number three in the batting order following injury to Daniel Hughes, and I certainly don’t agree with him being shunted back down to six for the last match.
Edwards blasted 37 and 28 (run out) from number three earlier in the season, making good use of the powerplay in a manner that is so important in this tournament, given the four-over powerplay in the Big Bash, compared to six overs elsewhere.
I reckon the Sixers will go back to Edwards at three before long, but even if not, he’s still well in the game in the middle order. All things considered, 14/1 looks worth a small play.
Sixers/Scorchers double looks solid
The SYDNEY SIXERS/PERTH SCORCHERS DOUBLE on Friday pays 2.11/1, which looks fair enough for the two most successful clubs in the history of the Big Bash.
The Scorchers host Sydney Thunder at 10:15am, UK time, and for all the visitors have been much-improved term, this is a completely different test in different conditions.
The Scorchers are a notoriously tough nut to crack at home, with their excellent pace attack so often wreaking havoc on opposition top orders, and that could prove to be the case again here.
So far this season, the Scorchers have reduced their visitors to 33-3 and 32-3 on this ground, and the likes of Jason Paul Behrendorff and Lance Morris could do plenty of damage again.
Thunder could come unstuck against Perth pacers
As such, I want an interest from the middle order in the top Thunder batsman market, with SAM BILLINGS and CHRIS GREEN getting the vote.
Name this shot from Sam Billings? 👇 #BringTheHEAT #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/iVdTWrnHcZ
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) January 10, 2024
Billings performed a fine rescue act when putting together a classy 72 against the Stars to confirm an impressive return to Thunder colours.
The Kent native made 37 from only 21 balls against the Scorchers when turning out for the Heat last term, and back in 2021, in his first stint with the Thunder, Billings made a brilliant 83 against the same opposition on this very ground.
Billings clearly enjoys these conditions, and this attack, and could be well placed at number five. 13/2 is worth a bet.
Green again?
I do want to add Green to the staking plan, though.
Green did these pages a good turn when a 40/1 top batsman winner last season, and though the Thunder top order has been more reliable this time around, perhaps this is the game when that changes.
Green is a hard hitter who can be destructive later in the innings, particularly in the Power Surge, and he produced a number of handy cameos last term.
He hasn't had an many opportunities this year, but remains dangerous and worth a small bet here at 33/1.
As for the match itself, Scorchers are justifiably warm favourites and could be boosted further by the potential return of star batsman Mitch Marsh.
With Finn Allen finally finding some form and Ashton Turner marshalling the middle order, they should be able to maintain their dominance at home.
Posted at 1550 GMT on 02/01/25
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