Round 13 in BBL08 promises to be an exciting one as the action gets underway Saturday night with a massive Sydney Derby at the SCG! We take a look at all four games in the penultimate round of play and give our betting tips below!
BBL08 Round 13 Betting Tips
Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder (Saturday 2nd Feb 7pm AEDT)
Saturday night is a massive game for the Thunder in particular. Currently sitting in 5th place on the BBL table just one point outside of the top four, a win here would see them leapfrog the Melbourne Stars into fourth place. With just two games to play, the Thunder will likely need to win both to give themselves a chance at playing finals, which is a big ask given they play the inform Sixers and Hurricanes to round out the season. The Thunder were beaten comfrtably by the Renegades in their last match as their batting line-up crumbled in the low run chase.
The Sixers have been one of the in form sides of the competition over the past few weeks. They have won three games in a row and currently sit in third place on the BBL08 table with just two games to play. They'l only need to win one of them to secure passage into the BBL finals, but with a tough road game against the Stars to come, they'll be hoping they can get over the line here. The Sixers batting line-up was fantastic in their last game against the Strikers, chasing down Adelaide's total of 124 in just over 12 overs as Dan Hughes and Moises Henriques belted 50s.
The Sixers start as strong favourites here and with good reason. They have been in stellar form with both bat and ball of late and ever since the departure of key English pair Joe Root and Jos Buttler, the Thunder have looked out of sorts with the bat. We think the Sixers get the job done at the SCG and secure their place in the finals.
Sydney Sixers to win
$1.71
Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat (Sunday 3rd Feb 6.15pm)
The Adelaide Strikers will be looking to secure a win here to keep them in contention for a finals berth in BBL08. They currently sit two points behind the top four with two games to play, so they will likely need to win both games and hope that some other results go their way as well. The Strikers batting line-up was fanastic in their last game as they became the third team to down the Hobart Hurricanes this season, chasing down 169 in just17.5 overs as Jake Weatherald starred with the bat.
The Heat had a graet win against the Scorchers in their last match but unfortunately will miss the finals in BBL08. They chased the Scorchers score of 126 in just 17.3 overs to capture their fourth win of the season. Brisbane's problem throughout the season has been the tempromentality of their batting attack. Arguably the most talented in the league, the Heat have been able to put it together in some games, scoring 180+ but have also been bowled out for scores below 120 in other games.
The Strikers look the more stable side heading into this match and have a lot more to play for. It's a must win for them while the Heat might be trying a few different things knowing that it's virtually impossible for them to make the finals. We think the Strikers win at home.
Adelaide Strikers to win
$1.71
Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars (Sunday 3rd Feb 9.15pm AEDT)
With the loss to the Heat on Friday night, the Scorchers officially kissed their chances of finals this season goodbye. It has been without doubt the most disappointing season in BBL history for the Scorchers, who have made the top four in all seven previous editions of the tournament. The batting line-up has been the major issue for Perth, so has the move from the WACA to the new Perth Stadium it seems. Their bowling attack hasn't been able to get on top of teams at Optus Stadium like they used to at the WACA, which means they are regularly chasing scores that are just too big for their fragile batting line-up.
The Stars fortunes in BBL08 have largely relied on the form and consistency of their star quartet of players. When Glenn Maxwell, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa departed for ODI duties, the Stars lost three games in a row. Since they returned, the Stars have won their last three and currently sit in fourth place on the table with three games still to play. Marcus Stoinis has belted 312 runs in just 8 innings for the Stars this year, which has him in the top ten runscorers in BBL08 and his avarege of 62.00 is second only to D'Arcy Short.
It's not exactly a must win game for the Stars, who are the only team in the competition with three games still to play, however, a win here would certainly cement a place in the top four. As we mentioned above, the Scorchers haven't been the dominant home side they once were and their batting line-up remains a big issue. We think the Stars travel West and pick up a win here.
Melbourne Stars to win
$1.67
Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades (Thursday 7th Feb 7.30pm AEDT)
The Melbourne Renegades will play their last regular season game of the BBL08 on Thursday night when they travel to Hobart to take on the Hurricanes. Currently sitting in third place with an 8-5 record through 13 games, the Renegades are already guaranteed a spot in the finals, but can push for a home semi final with a win on Thursday. The Renegades have won their last three games in a row and were fantastic against the Thunder in their last game.
The Hurricanes still have two games to play in BBL08 and have all but secured top spot on the table. They hold a one game plus run rate advantage over the Sixers who have just one game to play, so anything other than the Canes finishing on top would be unlikely. D'Arcy Short and Matthew Wade have continued their dominant form throughout the season. The currently sit at 1 and 2 on the BBL08 high runscorers tally with over 1,000 runs scored between them.
Tough match to call here. Both teams have been in fantastic form of late, particularly the Renegades, who have won their last three games and whose batting order has come to life. The Renegades are one of the only teams to defeat the Hurricanes this season and with a home final on the line here, we think they can do so again.
Melbourne Renegades to win
$2.10
