Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder: BBL cricket live scores, blog

The 2019-20 Big Bash gets underway tonight as the Brisbane Heat host the Sydney Thunder for the season-opener at the Gabba. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:10pm (AEDT).

It has been in the works for long enough, and now BBL|09 arrives, following substantial off-season tweaking. More compact scheduling headlines significant change, along with key international signatures – a feature sorely lacking last season. A few of these are on display here.

Both one-time tournament winners light up the Gabba to open proceedings. A mouthwatering contest promises between two sides carrying high expectations.

Batting line-ups laden with power and experience will grace television screens on Tuesday night.

Representing his fourth BBL club, Alex Hales is a real asset at the top of the order for the Thunder, replacing the Joe Root/Jos Buttler combination of last season. For Brisbane, dynamic young opener and fellow Englishman Tom Banton is a great signing for the first half of the year, after which he’ll make way for AB de Villiers.

Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja boast strong recent one-day domestic form, and the Thunder will rely on their class prevailing after the retirement of Shane Watson. Sydney may also hand an opportunity to batsman Alex Ross, who faces his former side.

While Heat fans wait impatiently until January to see marquee import de Villiers in full flight, there is plenty of power between Banton and local hard-hitters Chris Lynn, Sam Heazlett, Max Bryant and Ben Cutting. Queensland reached the final of the recent one-day cup, and the Heat boast many of these players in a bid to reach the finals for the first time in three years.

The New Zealanders are in town and another has arrived – former Kiwi quick and Thunder coach Shane Bond is up against the newly appointed Darren Lehmann.

The Thunder have globally renowned T20 off-spinner Chris Green, while the Heat could play one, or both, of the improving Mitch Swepson and 20-year-old Afghan left-armer Zahir Khan. Be sure to look out for all-time BBL wicket-taker Ben Laughlin in his first match as a Brisbane player, and Chris Tremain who returns to the Thunder after a stint with the Melbourne Renegades.

The two sides faced off earlier in 2019, when bizarre circumstances of a power outage outside the Gabba saw a point each awarded as the match was abandonned. Frustration brewed for the Thunder, as a rapid Shane Watson century had them in the box seat before the drama ensued.

Earlier in the tournament, the Heat benefitted from a rain-affected ruling, winning by 15 runs when the sides met at Spotless Stadium. Overall, the Thunder have claimed just one victory against the Heat, in a very lopsided record involving numerous sizeable victories. The Thunder have not beaten Brisbane since the fourth BBL season.

This match looms an incredibly enticing clash to launch a new season, one that holds with it great expectation of improvement. It’s one to watch, as the questions of a revitalised competition may finally be answered.

Don’t forget to tune into The Roar for the Big Bash live blog of Brisbane Heat versus Sydney Thunder from 7:10pm (AEDT).

Game information

First ball: 7:10 (AEDT)
Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane
TV: Channel Seven, Fox Sports
Online: Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Odds: Heat $1.56, Thunder $2.38
Head-to-head: Played 9, Heat 7, Thunder 1, no result 1
Squads

Heat
Chris Lynn (c), Tom Banton, Max Bryant, Ben Cutting, Cameron Gannon, Sam Heazlett, Josh Lalor, Ben Laughlin, Jimmy Pierson, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Zahir Khan

Thunder
Callum Ferguson (c), Usman Khawaja, Jonathan Cook, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales, Liam Hatcher, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain