Team news, key match-ups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, umpire appointments, start times, venue and squad lists for the fifth game of the BBL11
Brisbane Heat take on Perth Scorchers in the fifth game of the 2021-22 Big Bash season.
The game is scheduled for 6:35pm local time (10:35am GMT).
The game will be held at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Brisbane Heat began their hunt for a second BBL title in disappointing fashion, suffering a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Sydney Thunder. The Heat, who won BBL02 back in 2013, posted a solid 140 for 8 from their 20 overs but couldn't stop Sam Billings and Alex Ross, who completed the chase with 17 balls to spare.
For Perth Scorchers, this is their first match back after reaching the final of BBL10. The three-time champions will be without several big names, with last season's leading wicket-taker Jhye Richardson away with Australia and Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Mitch Marsh involved with Australia A. Run machines Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone are also no longer part of their squad. However, they do have home advantage and were unstoppable in Perth last season, winning four from four.
Perth Scorchers will be without last season's golden arm Jhye Richardson (left) [Quinn Rooney/Getty Images]
Brisbane Heat will be expecting big things once again from Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The 20-year-old spinner already has 29 BBL wickets to his name in 27 appearances and was once again impressive against Sydney Thunder, conceding just 25 runs from his four overs. Likewise, top-order duo Ben Duckett and Sam Heazlett will be hoping to replicate their 40-plus knocks.
However, perhaps the surprise package in the Heat squad is 22-year-old quick Xavier Bartlett, who took 12 wickets for the Heat in BBL10 but was also a frequent victim of the x-factor substitution. Allowed to play the whole match against Thunder, he took a miserly 1 for 21 from his 3.1 overs and scored 26 lower-order runs from 18 balls - could he turn out to be Brisbane's secret weapon?
For the Scorchers, the pressure is on Cameron Bancroft, Colin Munro and Laurie Evans to perform with the bat. The trio are tasked with not only holding the fort until Inglis and Marsh return but also filling the huge void left by Roy and Livingstone - the English pair scored 781 runs in BBL10.
Worryingly for Perth, it's not only their bowling line-up which is depleted, with Richardson (Australia), Agar (Australia A), and Tymal Mills (quarantine) all unavailable. In AJ Tye and Jason Behrendorff they have two incredibly talented pace bowlers but Chris Lynn and co. will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the Scorchers at their weakest.
Gerard Abood and Greg Davidson will be the standing umpires for this one.
Conditions are expected to be scorching hot in Perth, with temperatures hovering around the high-30s at the start of play.
Perth Scorchers: Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cooper Connolly, Laurie Evans, Aaron Hardie, Peter Hatzoglou, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Tymal Mills, Lance Morris, Colin Munro, Kurtis Patterson, Jhye Richardson (David Moody), Aston Turner, Andrew Tye
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
Xavier Bartlett could be Brisbane Heat's secret weapon in BBL11 [Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images]
Perth Scorchers: Cameron Bancroft, Kurtis Patterson, Colin Munro, Laurie Evans, Ashton Turner, Aaron Hardie, Lance Morris, Matt Kelly, Jason Behrendorff, AJ Tye, Peter Hatzoglou
Brisbane Heat: Chris Lynn, Max Bryant, Ben Duckett, Sam Heazlett, Jack Wildermuth, Jimmy Pierson, James Bazley, Xavier Bartlett, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Matthew Kuhnemann
Perth Scorchers are the favourites to take the win, with Oddschecker offering odds of 4/6. Brisbane Heat are available at 6/4.
Perth Scorchers are missing more than a couple of big names at the start of BBL10 and will be challenging the Heat with a significantly weakened XI. However, they should back themselves to win on home soil.
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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