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In what will be a fight of two teams trying to keep their Big Bash League finals hopes alive, the Adelaide Strikers host the Melbourne Renegades at the Adelaide Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match from 7:40pm (AEDT).
Neither the Strikers or the Renegades have had anything near what would be considered a good season so far and as a result of having little form and inconsistency, sit at the bottom of the ladder.
Both sides have won two of their six games, with only net run rate pushing the Renegades ahead of the Strikers, but with even that in the negatives it’s nothing to write home about.
For the Renegades, it’s been three straight losses to send them spiralling down the ladder, but the worst part about that is how the Renegades have been in games and simply failed to close them out.
Some of the decisions from captain Aaron Finch have been baffling to say the least and no where was that more true then when they had a record score of 222 chased down by the Hobart Hurricanes on Thursday night.
Scoring 4 for 222 from their 20 overs, with Tom Cooper finally hitting his way into some form should have been enough runs in anyone’s book, but on a surface that had nothing for the bowlers, the Hurricanes recovered from 2 for nothing to win the game on the final ball.
Given the Hurricanes needed 16 runs from the final over, there was no way they should have got the job done – instead Thisara Perera was handed the ball when spinners had been the run restrictors all night and got smashed.
For the Strikers, it’s been a case of not having enough depth in their batting to power them towards anything of meaning.
While their bowlers have done a solid enough job, their batsmen, with the exception of Ben Dunk and Brad Hodge in the top order, have failed more often than not.
It’s left them short on runs and their bowlers having too much to do to salvage the situation. Their last outing against the Melbourne Stars epitomised their season, with an incredibly slow batting performance landing 152 before they let Ben Hilfenhaus smash a quick 30 to bring the Stars back from the brink of defeat.
Prediction
At home, the Strikers would normally go in as favourites, but their form just hasn’t been up to scratch. The Renegades batsmen, at least are in form and their spin options should get them over the line here.
Renegades in a close one.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this crucial Big Bash League match from 7:40pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to drop a comment in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde