BBL07 kicks off for 2017/18 with the Sydney Smash between the Thunder and the Sixers at Spotless Stadium tonight, and there are plenty of big battles that will decide the result of this game.
Also, each game this season I’m giving ‘The Prophet’ a ten-unit bank to back the winner, and bet into some exotics on each game. Read below to see where he is spending his cash in the Sydney derby.
Head-to-head history: Sydney Sixers 8, Sydney Thunder 3
Last five: Sydney Thunder 3, Sydney Sixers 2
Sydney Sixers squad
Moises Henriques (c), Nic Maddinson, Daniel Hughes, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Jordan Silk, Johan Botha, Sean Abbott, Stephen O’Keefe, Peter Neville (wk), Harry Conway, Doug Bollinger, Daniel Sams
Sydney Thunder squad
Shane Watson (c), Kurtis Patterson, Aiden Blizzard, Callum Ferguson, Ben Rohrer, Ryan Gibson, Joe Buttler (wk), Chris Green, Farad Ahmed, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Mitch McClenaghan, Andrew Fekete
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Preview
BBL07 roars into life with the Sydney Smash, as the Sixers head across town to take on their local rivals, the Thunder, at Spotless Stadium. The Thunder have enjoyed some success over their crosstown rivals over the past few years, winning three of the past five encounters after dropping the first seven.
The Sixers will be looking to go one better this year, having stormed into the final last year before losing to the Scorchers after a late run of form in the regular season.
The Thunder had a season to forget, losing their first four games before rallying late with three victories, but still finishing in last place. The Thunder have now missed the finals in five of the six BBL seasons. Although they were crowned champions in 2015/16.
Big batting battle – Shane Watson vs Nic Maddinson
Both these guys are explosive T20 opening batsmen who are their team’s lynchpins, and both are looking to rebound from hugely disappointing BBL06 campaigns.
Watson comes into this game in imperious form in Sydney Grade cricket, and fresh in the mind, which is in contrast to last season where he missed the first couple of games through injury and looked rusty with the bat.
Maddinson was unstoppable in the 50-over domestic competition earlier this year, flogging the white ball to all parts against some handy attacks. He is quite an enigmatic player, though, and struggled mightily in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield.
(Photo: Sydney Sixers)
Big bowling battle – Spin twins (Chris Green/Fawad Ahmed vs Stephen O’Keefe/Johan Botha)
The result of this game could well be determined by which set of spinners comes out on top here. The Spotless Stadium drop-in wicket is usually a little two-paced and on the slow side, and both teams will be banking on their two gun spinners to get through their four overs for less than 7 runs per over.
Chris Green and Farad Ahmed bowled really well at Spotless last year, with Green bowling very flat from around the wicket to the right-handers. With the short straight boundaries at Spotless, expect Stephen O’Keefe and Johan Botha of the Sixers to really spear the ball into leg stump.
Ground dynamic
Spotless is a small ground, however I wouldn’t rate it in the top four or five batting surfaces, given its history, and with its drop-in wicket often a little two-paced and on the slower side.
It does contain small straight boundaries so bowling outfits will target back of a length and try to defend the longer square boundaries. If batting first, a score of 170 will be more than competitive and perhaps a winning total.
The Prophet’s pick (0-0): Sydney Sixers
“The Thunder will be paddling up the creek here, with the Sixers’ batting containing far too much firepower for the men in green. This is balanced out a bit by the fact the Thunder have a strong spin attack and, in front of their home fans for a season opener, they will be all fired up.
“Despite Watto firing, I see the Sixers getting the chocolates and enjoying a solid circuit afterwards.”
The Prophet’s ten-unit bank
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