The stars will be out to play when the Brisbane Heat take on the Perth Scorchers in a top of the table BBL13 clash on Wednesday night.
Brisbane will welcome back international superstars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne for this one, so expect the white Kookaburra’s to fly around the Gabba!
We'll have a heap of BBL13 content for you this season including BBL tips for every match and regular fantasy BBL for contests on Draftstars to help you land the big cash in the $50,000 Big Bash Star 2024 Final!
Draftstars have put up a huge $15,000 contest for this clash, as well as a Big Bash Star Qualifier.
Additionally, make sure to check out our full Heat vs Scorchers preview and betting tips!
BIG BASH LEAGUE (BBL13) FANTASY TIPS: HEAT VS SCORCHERS
Heat Squad: Colin Munro, Xavier Bartlett, Sam Billings, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Jordan Buckingham, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Paul Walter, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja
Scorchers Squad: Aaron Hardie, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Zak Crawley, Stephen Eskinazi, Laurie Evans, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
The Heat have pleasantly surprised many in BBL13, winning every match so far to sit top of the table after eight matches.
Brisbane’s bowling unit has been especially excellent – Xavier Bartlett, Paul Walter and Mitch Swepson all sit in the top 10 for wicket takers this campaign, with Bartlett (13) topping the rankings.
Wickets in the first powerplay are a hugely valuable commodity in this format of the game, and the quicks have been fantastic at providing that, as demonstrated by their efforts against Hobart when they reduced the Hurricanes to 4/22.
It will be a formidable XI that takes to The Gabba on Wednesday, as Khawaja and Labuschagne will bolster the batting unit during their break from test duties.
The timing of those inclusions is perfect for the Heat, as Wednesday’s opponents - Perth - are the benchmark team and have been for a long time.
The Scorchers have lost just one game and also boast an enviable squad stacked with talent.
Lance Morris and Jason Behrendorff have both taken nine wickets each as part of an elite bowling attack, while Aaron Hardie (273 runs) continues to dominate with the bat.
With just about a full squad to choose from, apart from the test players, the Scorchers are well placed to take it up to the Heat in this fixture, and then challenge for the title.
Fantasy Plays
Love It – Xavier Bartlett ($16,700)
Bartlett was on fire against Hobart on Sunday, finishing with figures of 3/30 after an unplayable opening spell. The Heat quick clearly enjoys playing in home conditions, having produced returns of 71, 93 and 76 DFS points at the Gabba, so he looks to be an astute selection against a Scorchers side that has been prone to losing early wickets.
Love It – Cooper Connolly ($12,600)
Connolly reached deep into his bag of tricks against the Thunder, tallying 104 DFS points without even wielding the willow. The Scorchers all-rounder turned to off-spin in bowler friendly conditions, making the ball talk on his way to three wickets. At under $13k, Connolly has demonstrated that he can access several scoring avenues, making him a great value play.
Don’t Love It – Aaron Hardie ($19,800)
Yes, Hardie ranks among the top players in the BBL, but I can’t recommend him on this slate. Hardie performs best in WA, with a high DFS score of just 71 away from home. Furthermore, I don’t expect him to bowl in this one, considering Jason Behrendorff is likely to return. As such, it’s a no from me.
Don’t Love It – Michael Neser ($17,200)
Neser has been sparingly used by the Heat this BBL, failing to bowl his full quota of overs in any match. As a result, he has averaged just 38 DFS points. Despite that, the Draftstars algorithm has been slow to adjust, still pricing Neser among the most expensive players on the slate. No thanks.
Who Knows – Usman Khawaja ($15,800)
Like several of his Baggy Green wearing counterparts, Khawaja has made a splash whenever he’s returned to the BBL, producing huge one-off scores. The classy opener will link up with the Heat for one night only on Wednesday… can he rekindle his T20 form of old?
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
