Team news, key match-ups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, umpire appointments, start times, venue and squad lists for the 46th game of BBL11
Brisbane Heat take on Adelaide Strikers in the 46th game of the 2021-22 Big Bash.
The game is set for Wednesday, January 12. The first ball will be bowled at 6.15pm local time (8.15am GMT).
The game will be held at The Gabba, Brisbane.
Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers are part of a four-way battle for the final playoff place heading into the latter stages of the regular season.
Heat sit in the all-important fifth position, two points ahead of Strikers who prop up the table.
Chris Lynn's side have been hit by a recent Covid outbreak which left them without the fulcrum of their squad.
After seeing their clash with Sydney Sixers postponed, they've lost successive games to Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes.
In their last outing, they made 144 for 8 from their 20 overs, which Hurricanes chase down with 16 balls remaining.
They'll be boosted by the return of Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Ben Duckett, Liam Guthrie, Matthew Kuhnemann, Chris Lynn, Nathan McSweeney, Mark Steketee and Jack Wildermuth for this clash, through coach Wade Seccombe and several other players have not been cleared to return.
Strikers' own Covid issues only extend to the absence of Matt Renshaw, who returned a positive PCR test which forced him to miss the match against Melbourne Stars.
Ryan Gibson is fit again after a hamstring injury
Jason Gillespie's side have only won twice during BBL 11 but have lost seven of the last eight, including to Heat by 39 runs on December 23.
Despite the wretched run of form, Strikers have collected seven bonus points from their 10 games which have kept them within touching distance of the playoff positions.
Chris Lynn returns to open the batting for Brisbane Heat (Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Chris Lynn is one of the BBL's great survivors, the leading run-scorer in the competition's history and on the verge of going past the 3,000 run landmark.
Though it hasn't been a spectacular campaign for the Aussie, who has recorded one half-century in eight matches before his enforced absence.
Matthew Short is likely to take the new ball for the Strikers with his 21.1 overs going at an economy rate of less than eight runs an over.
The 26-year-old has been short of wickets - just two in 10 matches - but his frugal spells might be ideal in the four-over powerplay.
He'll be keen to improve on his return from the first meeting with Heat however when Ben Duckett and Sam Heazlett launch his only over for 20.
Umpire names will appear when available
After some morning rain a clear evening is anticipated in Brisbane, with temperatures around 26 degrees Celsius.
Brisbane Heat: Tom Abell, Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Tom Cooper, Ben Duckett, Liam Guthrie, Sam Heazlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne (Nathan McSweeney), Chris Lynn, Michael Neser (Cameron Gannon), Jimmy Pierson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Will Prestwidge, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson (Hugo Burdon), Jack Wildermuth
Adelaide Strikers: Wes Agar, Fawad Ahmed, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, George Garton, Ryan Gibson, Travis Head, Spencer Johnson, Rashid Khan, Harry Nielsen, Liam O’Connor, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Daniel Worrall
Matt Short will likely take the new ball (Mark Blyth/Getty Images)
Brisbane Heat: Max Bryant, Chris Lynn, Ben Duckett, Sam Heazlett, Tom Cooper, Lachlan Pfeiffer, Xavier Bartlett, Jack Wildermuth Mitchell Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mark Steketee
Adelaide Strikers: Jake Weatherald, Matt Short, Henry Hunt, Jonathan Wells, Thomas Kelly, Ryan Gibson, Harry Nielsen, Rashid Khan, Peter Siddle, Harry Conway, Fawad Ahmed
Bookmakers can hardly separate the two sides, with Strikers at 10/11 while Heat are available at 11/10.
Heat are almost back to a full complement and along with the Strikers' wretched run, they should have too much.
Sky Sports have bought the rights for the competition through to 2025, and they will broadcast all 61 games in the UK.
Fox Sports and Seven Network both have television rights in Australia: subscription broadcaster Fox show every game, while free-to-air Seven will simulcast 45 matches.
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will have ball-by-ball radio coverage of the tournament for UK listeners.
Where can I watch the competition elsewhere in the world?
North America: Willow
MENA: beIN Sports
Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport
Indian Subcontinent: Sony
New Zealand: Sky Sport
BIG BASH TEAM GUIDES (open in external window in app)
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