The Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder will go head-to-head on Tuesday night in BBL13, kicking off Round 2 of the competition after a short hiatus.
These two teams produced a history making clash last year, with the Strikers bundling Sydney out for just 15 runs, but expect a much closer encounter this time around!
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 $20,000 contest for this clash, as well as a Big Bash Star Qualifier.
And if you haven't already, make sure to check out our full Strikers vs Thunder preview and betting tips!
BBL13 Fantasy Tips: Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder
Strikers Squad: Matt Short, Wes Agar, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Brendan Doggett, Adam Hose, Josh Kann, Chris Lynn, Ben Manenti, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton, David Payne, D’Arcy Short, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald
Thunder Squad: Chris Green, Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, ollie Davies, Liam Doddrell, Matt Gilkes, Alex Hales, Liam Hatcher, Zaman Khan, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Alex Ross, Will Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
The Adelaide Strikers have been forced to wait patiently for their season opener, after last Saturday’s scheduled match against the Heat was abandoned due to rain.
The men in blue should finally get the chance to take to the field on Tuesday, and the XI is set to look different from years gone by.
Rashid Khan was unavailable for BBL13 due a back injury, so the Strikers have had to scramble to both fill Khan’s void as a spinner and bring in equivalent overseas talent.
The recruits Adelaide have ended up with are Jamie Overton, David Payne and Adam Hose, all Englishmen with decent records in this format. Overton is a particularly big signing for the Strikers, as he has the ability to contribute with both bat and ball, strengthening an otherwise weak looking batting group.
While Matt Short and Lynn are proven performers at the top, the batting depth drops away after that, so keeping wickets in hand will be key. On the flipside, however, the Strikers are stacked with bowling options, giving them flexibility on matchday.
Similarly, the Sydney Thunder are light on batting, and that was on display in their 20-run defeat to the Brisbane Heat.
Chasing a modest total of 151 thanks to Tanveer Sangha (3/21) and Zaman Khan (2/31), the Thunder were bowled out for just 131, Ollie Davies top scoring with 35. It was a disappointing batting performance, but in some ways unsurprising considering that Alex Hales is the only real A grader in their line-up.
Jason Sangha may be available to bolster the top order against the Strikers, after he missed the last game due to injury.
Fantasy Plays
Love It – Jamie Overton ($12,800)
Not all imports hit the ground running when they arrive in Australia, but I expect Overton to make an instant impact. The physically imposing all-rounder hits a long ball, as demonstrated during The Hundred, and bowls a heavy ball, two qualities that set him in good stead for cricket down under. Expect Overton to be afforded plenty of opportunity in both disciplines on Tuesday.
Love It – Adam Hose ($11,900)
Hose has been a solid contributor in the BBL, averaging 26 runs in 14 matches. Despite raising the bat just once, the English right-hander has been a consistent contributor, which is more than you can say for batsmen at this DFS price point.
Don’t Love It – Daniel Sams ($17,700)
Sams has been one of the premier all-rounders in the BBL for several seasons, but his performance in Round 1 did not fill me with confidence. Chris Green called upon six bowlers against the Heat, limiting Sams’ opportunity to just two overs. I expect that to continue given Sydney’s bowling stocks, so Sams may not be able to recapture his DFS stardom of previous years.
Don’t Love It – D’Arcy Short ($14,000)
D’Arcy Short used to be one of the most feared hitters in the BBL, but we haven’t seen the best of him for a while. After making the move to the Strikers, Short has once again been given a licence to thrill as an opener, which could trigger a renaissance. However, I’d like to have a look at him in a couple of games before taking the gamble in DFS.
Who Knows – Alex Hales ($18,500)
Like Short, Hales has been a big name in the BBL for a long time, but his first game in BBL13 didn’t go to plan. A first ball duck saw Hales score -10, a terrible return for any DFS owners who banked on big points considering his high asking price. At over $18k again, Hales is priced like a premium asset, so a big return is needed.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
