Big Bash League 2020-21 (BBL 10), Eliminator: Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers – Match Preview And Prediction

While the league stages of the Big Bash League 2020/21 (BBL 10) just finished, the tournament has now entered to the Finals (top 5) stage. On Friday (29th January), Brisbane Heat will face Adelaide Strikers at The Gabba (Brisbane) in the Eliminator of this tournament.

At the end of the league stage of this BBL season, Brisbane Heat got 29 points in 14 matches and Adelaide Strikers collected 28 points in 14 games. While Heat finished in the fourth position in the BBL 10 points table, Strikers finished in the fifth spot in the same points table.

It will be their third meeting in this BBL season. Adelaide Strikers won both the previous meetings of this season by 2 runs and 82 runs respectively.

Big Bash League 2020-21 (BBL 10), Eliminator: Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers – Match Preview

Brisbane Heat

In the league stage of this season, Brisbane Heat won seven matches and lost seven matches. Winning the last two games massively helped them to qualify for the Eliminator of this tournament.

Captain Chris Lynn is their best batsman as he has scored 420 runs in 10 matches of this tournament (average – 42.00; strike-rate – 157.30), including five half-centuries. While Heat won both their last two matches, Lynn scored half-centuries in both those games.

Also, Max Bryant and  Jimmy Peirson have scored 302 and 219 runs respectively in this tournament. However, their batting has become more powerful after the return of Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 123 runs in 3 innings as his scores were 28, 49 and 46 runs respectively. He also picked up six wickets in the league stage.

Pacer Mark Steketee is the second most wicket-taker in this tournament as he has got 22 wickets in 13 matches. While they are missing Mujeeb Ur Rahman (14 wickets in 8 matches), they have Jack Wildermuth (13 wickets in 12 matches) and Xavier Bartlett (12 wickets in 13 games) as the dependable bowlers.

Latest full available squad

Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Joe Burns, Max Bryant, Tom Cooper, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Sam Heazlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Laughlin, Chris Lynn (C), Morne Morkel, Lachy Pfeffer, Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

Forms in the last 5 matches (Oldest to latest): Won, Lost, Lost, Won and Won

Adelaide Strikers

Despite finishing with the same points of Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers just managed to qualify for the Eliminator due to finishing with positive net run-rate. In the league stage of this BBL season, they also won seven matches and lost the other seven matches.

Alex Carey and Jake Weatherald are their most consistent batsmen who have scored 412 runs (12 innings) and 401 runs (14 innings) respectively. While Weatherald has scored 3 half-centuries, Carey has scored one century and two half-centuries in this BBL season. Also, Phil Salt and Jon Wells have scored 284 and 243 runs respectively.

Fast bowler Wes Agar has got 21 wickets while Peter Siddle has picked up 18 wickets in this BBL season. However, they are missing Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan, who picked up 16 wickets in 10 matches of this season. But they also have the bowlers like Daniel Worrall and Danny Briggs who have scalped 10 wickets each in this season.

Ryan Gibson has to prove his fitness who got a hamstring injury during their last game.

Latest full available squad

Travis Head (C), Alex Carey, Wes Agar, Danny Briggs, Harry Conway, Ryan Gibson, Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Spencer Johnson, Matt Renshaw, Phil Salt, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Daniel Worrall

Forms in the last 5 matches (Oldest to latest): Won, Lost, Won, Won and Lost

Big Bash League 2020-21 (BBL 10), Eliminator: Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers – Match Prediction

Although both teams have managed almost similar form in this BBL season, Adelaide Strikers won all their last three matches against Brisbane Heat, including twice in this BBL season. But this Eliminator match will be different as a defeat will eliminate the side and only a victory can help the team to stay in this competition.

As both teams have almost similar strength, there is no favourite for the upcoming crucial BBL match.