Free Big Bash cricket betting preview and tips for Thursday

Cricket betting tips: Big Bash League

2pts Shaun Marsh top Melbourne Renegades batsman at 13/5

1pt Chris Lynn to be Man of the Match in Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat match at 7/1

• Big Bash: Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars
• When: Jan 20 0815 GMT
• Where: Melbourne
• TV: BT Sport

These two local rivals played out an absorbing match at this venue on Sunday with the Renegades once again missing out despite competing hard for large periods.

That's now nine defeats from 11 matches so far this term for the Renegades who desperately need captain Aaron Finch to come good following a poor run of form that has hurt his side badly.

Finch has appeared to be carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders in recent weeks, but his captaincy has remained innovative and he should be encouraged by how well his spinners have performed in the last few matches.

With youngsters Mackenzie Harvey and Jake Fraser-McGurk displaying considerable promise with the bat, too, there are definite signs of a brighter future for the Renegades who still have experienced heads, SHAUN MARSH and Kane Richardson, among their ranks.

Still, they have made losing a habit since being crowned Big Bash champions in the 2018/2019 edition and backing up quickly against a dangerous Stars outfit doesn't offer them any respite.

The Stars have recovered from a mid-season slump to put themselves firmly back in the title hunt, and with Marcus Stoinis making a brisk 43 on Sunday, captain Glenn Maxwell will be hopeful things are starting to fall into place for a side whose bowling attack ticks a fair few boxes and is expertly led by wrist spinner Adam Zampa.

I suspect the Stars will win again but quotes of 4/7 are about right, and instead, I'm going to make the aforementioned Marsh my only bet of the match.

Marsh made a terrific start to the competition until taking a break and staying in Perth for the birth of his third child. That layoff might have just affected his rhythm, but a tournament tally of 271 runs at an average of 30.11 is still highly respectable and I thought he looked back in sync when stroking a quickfire 24 on Sunday.

A big score from the Western Australian powerhouse should be just around the corner and 13/5 for him to finish the match as the Renegades' top runscorer makes enough appeal when considering the poor run of form many of his teammates are enduring at present.

• Big Bash: Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat
• When: Jan 21 0815 GMT
• Where: Adelaide
• TV: BT Sport

It says everything about this year's Big Bash that despite sitting in seventh and sixth in the league table respectively following last-time out defeats, Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat could both still qualify for the latter stages of the competition and go on to claim title glory.

The Strikers were flying high until Rashid Khan left Australia to join up with the Afghanistan national team, but his absence and an injury to Peter Siddle has left their attack without crucial firepower, something they have relied so heavily on in the past given the well-documented frailties in their batting line-up.

In contrast, the Heat looked a team very much on the up until making a meal of their run chase against Perth Scorchers on Tuesday and they will need to back up quickly here, both physically and mentally.

To their credit, dusting themselves down after bruising defeats has been a hallmark of their season and with coach Darren Lehmann instilling plenty confidence into his players, and CHRIS LYNN fit again and firing at the top of the order, they remain a very dangerous outfit.

I'd make the Heat slight favourites here, but they aren't reliable enough to have me steaming in at the even-money mark and I would rather stick with the in-form Lynn to lead his side to victory.

But for a hamstring injury that ruled him out of four games in the middle of the tournament, Lynn has enjoyed a fine campaign thus far with his 300 runs coming at a strike-rate of 147.78 in his typically swashbuckling manner.

A giant of a man who hits the ball long and hard, Lynn should be ideally suited to the true nature of the Adelaide Oval surface and the boundaries in South Australia might not be big enough to contain him if he gets going.

Scores of 20, 69, 30, 48, 56, 50 and 27 so far this term suggest Lynn should give his supporters a good run for their money again, particularly without the brilliant Khan to worry about in the Strikers' attack, and he looks worth a play to be named Man of the Match at 7/1.

2/1 for Lynn to oblige in the top Heat batsman market is the obvious play, but I fancy the Heat to win this one and a sizeable contribution from the winning captain might be enough to win over the judges. Given the price discrepancy, I'm happy to take the chance.

Posted at 1520 GMT on 19/01/21

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