Free Big Bash cricket betting preview and tips for Tuesday

Cricket betting tips: Big Bash League

2pts Matthew Renshaw top Adelaide Strikers batsman at 11/2

2pts Daniel Sams top Sydney Thunder bowler at 11/4

• Big Bash: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars
• When: Dec 29 0815 GMT
• Where: Canberra
• TV: BT Sport

The Big Bash has two offerings on Tuesday, the second of which pits third and fifth in the table as Sydney Thunder renew hostilities with Melbourne Stars.

The Thunder briefly sat on top of the table having beaten Melbourne Renegades at a canter on Boxing Day, only to be usurped by locals rivals Sydney Sixers after they edged out the Stars in a dramatic conclusion to their match only a few hours later.

Nevertheless, the Thunder and the Stars have been two of the outfits to make the early running in this season's Big Bash, that aforementioned defeat to the Sixers being the Stars' only loss so far this term, while the Thunder have won three on the bounce since the Stars got the better of them in their first match.

All that points to a very good game between two classy sides who both bat very deep. The Thunder look to have more angles covered with the ball, particularly in the fast bowling department, but their top order has been a little too reliant on Callum Ferguson thus far and the Stars have some box office stars in their own batting line-up, namely Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Nicholas Pooran.

I wouldn't be at all surprised were the competition winners to come out of this match - I sincerely hope that proves to be the case having plumped for the Thunder at 10/1 in my pre-tournament outright preview here - but it's not a match I can call with any confidence, not Tuesday's result anyway.

Having put up Daniel Sams for top Thunder bowler honours on an overall profitable Boxing Day, I was disappointed to see the Renegades batting fold like a deck of cards when faced with high-quality spin in the middle overs, but the Stars won't be anything like as charitable.

As such, that should ensure death specialist Sams has plenty of work to do on this occasion and last season's Big Bash leading wicket-taker looks worth keeping on side for top Thunder bowling honours at 11/4.

Sams is very dangerous with the new ball, but his impressive variations in the slog overs are where he really earns his crust and having promised a big haul on a couple of occasions already this term - some dropped catches haven't help his cause - I sense that a glut of wickets for the left arm paceman is just around the corner.

• Big Bash: Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers
• When: Dec 28 0815 GMT
• Where: Adelaide
• TV: BT Sport

With leg spinner Rashid Khan a major injury doubt for Adelaide Strikers on Monday, visiting Perch Scorchers continue to attract support ahead of this key clash which sees two former winners of the Big Bash bid to kickstart their respective campaigns.

At the time of writing, the 8/11 on offer for the Scorchers is under threat, but that is awfully short about a team who have yet to win a game this season and whose once revered bowling attack now looks to be an ageing one lacking potency.

While the Scorchers will be boosted by the arrival of English duo Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone on Monday, it's a big ask to expect both to hit the ground running so quickly after spending 14 days in quarantine and I would be in no rush to take odds-on about the Western Australians here.

That's not to say the Strikers are any more reliable; two wins and two defeats so far this term suggests they aren't, but with or without Khan, Peter Siddle, Daniel Worrall and Wes Agar will ensure this excellent bowling attack wins its fair share of matches in the coming weeks.

As such, the Strikers should continue to prove competitive, particularly in low-scoring games, but their batting has issues that coach Jason Gillespie appears reluctant to remedy. The chief point of concern is the continued backing of Phil Salt at the top of the order when a far better opening batsman in Alex Carey inexplicably has to wait his turn at number four. Carey first made his name in this competition as a dashing opening batsman and for the Strikers to get the best out of him, they can ill afford to bat him out of position for much longer.

With Carey struggling to reach his potential at four, Salt yet to live up to his lofty reputation, and an out-of-form Jonathan Wells also inspiring little confidence, I can't resist a bet on Matthew Renshaw in the top Strikers batsman market.

Having joined the Strikers in the off-season following a successful spell at Brisbane Heat, Renshaw has made a couple of thirties so far this term without kicking on and making that big score he is patently capable of, on both occasions picking out fielders on the leg side with clean connections.

An ultra-reliable performer for the Heat, Renshaw has looked in really good touch since starting out for the Strikers this year and with number three affording the left hander ample time at the crease to make a significant impact on the game, he looks too big at 11/2 to oblige in a market where many of his main rivals currently have questions to answer.

Posted at 1705 GMT on 27/12/20

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