Big Bash 2021-22 match preview: Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers

Team news, key match-ups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, umpire appointments, start times, venue and squad lists for the 24th game of BBL11

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What's the match?

Sydney Thunder take on Perth Scorchers in the 24th game of the 2021-22 Big Bash.

When is it taking place?

The game is set for Tuesday, December 28. The first ball will be bowled at 7.15pm local time (8.15am GMT).

Where is the match being played?

The game will be held at Canberra's Manuka Oval.

Who's got the form?

Perth Scorchers are in red-hot form in BBL11, winning all six of their matches to date to top the table by four points.

Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes (twice) and Melbourne Renegades (twice) have all been on the receiving end of the 2020-21 finalists, who have passed 180 runs on three occasions and lost more than five wickets in an innings just twice in six matches.

In their most recent outing, they cantered to an eight-wicket victory over Melbourne Renegades with 19 balls to spare on Boxing Day.

Sydney Thunder have the unenviable challenge of ending their unbeaten run, no easy task for a side who have won just two of their five matches to date.

Thunder got their campaign off to a winning start against Brisbane Heat before suffering back-to-back defeats against Melbourne Stars. A comfortable 53-run win over the Heat restored their mojo but it was swiftly demolished by Sydney Sixers, who completed a comfortable 30-run win in the Sydney Smash on December 26.

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Big-hitting Ollie Davies could make his first appearance of the season for Thunder [Darrian Traynor/Getty Images]

What's the key match-up?

For Sydney Thunder the challenge will be dismissing Perth Scorchers duo Mitchell Marsh and Colin Munro. Batting at no.3 and no.4, the pair have scored a combined 453 runs, including two centuries and two half-centuries, and are both striking the ball in excess of 140.

They'll be hoping Saqib Mahmood can replicate his debut performance when he dismissed four of Brisbane Heat's top six inside the opening three overs of play. In his two matches to date, the English quick has taken five wickets and conceded 8.57 runs per over. The potential return of Brendan Doggett is also a plus. The 27-year-old has taken 29 career BBL wickets in 28 appearances and has an economy of 8.30.

Sydney Thunder will also be hoping for a good performance from opener Alex Hales, who has scored just 87 runs in his five innings and passed 20 twice in BBL11. However, with an in-form bowling quartet of Behrendorff, Mills, Tye and Agar, it could be another frustrating day at the office for the Englishman.

Who are the umpires?

Donovan Koch and David Taylor are the men in the middle for this one.

What's the weather forecast?

Cloudy with sunny intervals is the forecast for Canberra with temperatures expected to hover around the mid-teens.

What are the squads?

Sydney Thunder: Sam Billings, Jonathan Cook, Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales, Baxter Holt, Usman Khawaja, Saqib Mahmood, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain, Mohammad Hasnain

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

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Mitchell Marsh has scored 249 runs at a strike rate of 149.10 in four innings [Morgan Hancock/Getty Images]

What are the possible starting XIs?

Sydney Thunder: Matt Gilkes, Alex Hales, Jason Sangha, Sam Billings, Alex Ross, Ollie Davies, Daniel Sams, Brendan Doggett, Chris Green, Saqib Mahmood, Tanveer Sangha

Perth Scorchers: Cameron Bancroft, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Colin Munro, Ashton Turner, Laurie Evans, Ashton Agar, Andrew Tye, Jason Behrendorff, Peter Hatzoglou, Tymal Mills

What are the odds?

Oddschecker have installed Perth Scorchers as the favourites for this match, offering odds of 8/11. Sydney Thunder are available at 7/5.

What's the prediction?

Perth Scorchers are on fire and Sydney Thunder are unlikely to be the team to rain on their parade. Scorchers win.

Where can I watch the game?

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)

Adelaide Strikers

Brisbane Heat

Hobart Hurricanes

Melbourne Renegades

Melbourne Stars

Perth Scorchers

Sydney Sixers

Sydney Thunder

Comments

Posted by Rajkimar on 16/01/2022 at 17:20

Ok

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