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The Roar's BBL expert tips and predictions: Week 5

Is Sydney Thunder set for another struggle? (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Editor
12th January, 2017
5

We’ve hit the business end of the Big Bash and as always, our expert tipping panel has you covered for all the previews and predictions of the next week of games.

However, the less that is said about last week, the better. All of us got off to a pretty woeful start to the week with the exception of Dan, who was on track for a perfect round until the Stars popped up to beat the Strikers.

He still finished the best of the bunch by far with six out of seven, taking his total for the season up to 13. I’ve managed to cling on to the joint lead alongside Dan after getting two for the week.

BJ is just one point behind, while Brett (eight) and The Crowd (nine) have some ground to make up before the season draws to an end.

With Australia’s ODI series against Pakistan getting underway today, we’ve only got five Big Bash games to sink our teeth into this week, starting with a Saturday double-header featuring the second Sydney Smash of the year and Perth’s meeting with the Stars out west.

The remaining games see the Strikers take on the Renegades, the Stars host a Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum-less Heat and the Thunder face off against the Strikers in Sydney.

Now, with The Crowd struggling this season, they need your help more than ever, so be sure to add in your tips to help them out-tip the experts. Crowd tipping closes at 4pm (AEDT) on Friday afternoon.

Brett McKay

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Sixers, Scorchers, Renegades, Stars, Thunder

Sixers vs Thunder
Sixers. The Thunder without Pat Cummins will struggle to take wickets, I suspect, and make runs too, given Cummins is toward the top of their tallies. The Thunder are gone for the season I suspect, and though the Sixers haven’t been going great either, they have Jackson Bird and Nathan Lyon back, and that’s significant.

Sydney Sixers captain Brad Haddin

Scorchers vs Stars
Scorchers. I reckon we saw on Wednesday night that Perth are hitting their bowling groove, and are starting to look like they can defend anything. Plus they’re tough to beat at home, anyway. The Stars without Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, and Adam Zampa? I’m not so sure…

Strikers vs Renegades
Renegades. If Brad Hodge thinks the Strikers are done, then the Strikers are done. The Renegades don’t have to worry about the pesky detail of losing their captain to national duty, and that could be very handy indeed. Plus, Hoggy.

Stars vs Heat
Stars. The Heat were reduced to barely warm on Wednesday without Chris Lynn, confirming all suspicions about their depth. And though I think it was rough that he was suspended, Brisbane will be hurt by losing Brendon McCullum, too.

Thunder vs Strikers
Thunder. Whoa, this is a game for the ages. Both teams have shown moments of brilliance wrapped up in layers upon layers of mediocrity, hence the reason they sit where they sit on the table. Of course, they’ve both played another game since I’ve written this, so the situation may not apply at all anymore. So when in doubt, go the home side.

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Dan Liebke

Thunder, Stars, Strikers, Stars, Thunder

Sixers vs Thunder
Thunder. The Thunder are coming. King Watto’s men have left their charge for the semi-finals late. But not too late. I expect an NRR-improving thrashing from the Green Sydney men as they take down their pink-hued rivals.

Scorchers vs Stars
Stars. KP’s (Kevin Pietersen’s) complaints about KP’s (Kieron Pollard’s) bandages were enough to throw the Strikers off and secure a last-gasp win for the Stars. I see no reason why he can’t concoct some similarly distracting mind games to bluff their way past the Scorchers.

Strikers vs Renegades
Strikers. If the KP versus KP battle was important when the Stars played the Strikers, it seems only reasonable that the BH (Brad Hodge) v BH (Brad Hogg) battle will be key when the Red Melbourne side show up in town. I’m backing the youth and vitality of Hodge to get the Strikers home here.

Stars vs Heat
Stars. With a possible semi-final spot on the line, I foresee KP pulling out all stops here – complaining to the umpires about sightscreens, the music, the fireworks, Damien Fleming referring to him as ‘The Complainologist’, the crowd and anything else that gets up his nose. Somewhere in there, the Stars will sneak a win.

Thunder vs Strikers
Thunder. I’m telling you, the Thunder are coming. You know how you can judge how far away a storm is by counting the time between the lightning and the clap of thunder? By this game, the Thunder will be so close that your goddamn roof will have blown off.

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BJ Conkey

Thunder, Stars, Strikers, Stars, Thunder

Sixers vs Thunder
Thunder in a nailbiter. Both teams are in form, but I love the way the Thunder has gone about their cricket recently. Shane Watson is seeing the ball well and Carlos Brathwaite is a very handy inclusion in the side.

Jay Lenton and Chris Green for the Sydney Thunder

Scorchers vs Stars
Stars. Even without Glenn Maxwell the Stars bat deep as we saw with Ben Hilfenhaus pulling a rabbit out of the hat. Rob Quiney has been the unexpected hero at the top and he should enjoy the WACA pace. The key for the Stars is removing Michael Klinger cheaply.

Strikers vs Renegades
Strikers. The Renegades have lost all the momentum they started the tournament with; it all seems to depend on how Brad Hogg goes with the ball for the red Melbourne side. It’s time for the big man Kieron Pollard to step up. He’s due for a big innings.

Stars vs Heat
Stars to get the job done at home. Chris Lynn will be on international duty again, and his loss proved to be massive for the Heat against the Scorchers.

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Thunder vs Strikers
Thunder. If green Sydney win against the Sixers, this game is potentially huge for them. Either way, they’ll be keen to finish the tournament on a high and prove the doubters (myself included) wrong after their woeful start.

Daniel Jeffrey

Sixers, Scorchers, Renegades, Stars, Thunder

Sixers vs Thunder
Sixers. Pat Cummins’ absence for the Thunder will hurt, while the Sixers have only been helped by Australian selection with the return of Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird but not Stephen O’Keefe. Speaking of which, does anyone know why O’Keefe has been rested from the Big Bash but Lyon hasn’t?

Scorchers vs Stars
Scorchers. Against a depleted Stars side, it’s very hard to see the Scorchers giving this one up at the WACA. Shaun Marsh is surely due for a score sometime soon, too.

Strikers vs Renegades
Renegades. The Strikers have been the most disappointing side of the comp for mine, while the Renegades are coming off a BBL-record score against the Hurricanes. I mean, they lost that game, but they don’t have to worry about Ben McDermott, George Bailey and Stuart Broad this time around.

Stars vs Heat
Stars. It’s the battle of the depleted sides here, with the Stars missing Adam Zampa, James Faulkner and Glenn Maxwell and the Heat without Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum. It’s hard to see where Brisbane’s runs will come from without their two big hitters.

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Thunder vs Strikers
Thunder. At home against a Strikers side missing Billy Stanlake, a resurgent Thunder side should be good enough to deliver the goods here.

Week 5 Brett Dan BJ Daniel The Crowd
SIX v THU SIX THU THU SIX SIX
SCO v STA SCO STA STA SCO SCO
STR v REN REN STR STR REN REN
STA v HEA STA STA STA STA STA
THU v STR THU THU THU THU THU
Last week 2 6 3 2 1
Total 8 13 12 13 9

The Crowd’s tips are in for the week, and they look a little something like this: the Sixers have been tipped over the Thunder, Scorchers over the Stars, Renegades over the Strikers, Stars over the Heat and the Thunder over the Strikers. Which, incidentally, is exactly what Brett ad I have tipped, so you know The Crowd’s on the ball this week.

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