Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat: Big Bash live scores, blog

The Brisbane Heat will be desperate for a win as they bring their busiest stretch of the season to an end with a trip souh to play the inconsistent Sydney Sixers. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:15pm (AEDT).

The Heat are finishing a run of six games in 15 days today, with what will be a much-needed week off to follow for the franchise.

Still, after a slow start to the season, Brisbane have built some rhythm and momentum throughout the last fortnight, and a win today would leave them with four victories and a no result from the six games, which is a good effort in anyone’s book.

That no result should have probably been a loss though, given the Heat were a mile behind (2 for 10 chasing 186) against the Sydney Thunder when the floodlights failed at the Gabba on Thursday evening.

Brisbane’s biggest problem, and the reason they sit seventh with just three wins to their name from eight games, is their heavy reliance on the top order.

Max Bryant, Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn have to do a large majority of their run-scoring, with the middle order the worst in the competition by a considerable distance.

If they can score enough runs though, it’s hard to see the Sixers ousting them, despite Sydney outperforming expectations with four wins from their nine games so far.

The squad is weak on paper, but with the form of Daniel Hughes and Jordan Silk, to go with some inconsistently good performances from other players like Josh Philippe and Moises Henriques, they are doing enough to get by and keep their finals hopes alive.

The franchise has been heavily reliant on Steve O’Keefe with the ball though, and need others to stand up and be counted if they do want to make the eventual top four, with this almost being a must-win game, given they have four games remaining after this one.

Prediction
The Sixers have been solid, but just don’t have the match-winners in their side the Heat do. You’d expect, so long as the Brisbane top order and Mujeeb play reasonably well, they will get the job done here in what is a crucial encounter for both sides.

Heat in a close one.

Be sure to join The Roar for all the scores and coverage of this BBL clash from 7:15pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

Game information

First ball: 7:15pm (AEDT)
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
TV: Live, Fox Cricket 501, Channel 7
Online: Live, Foxtel app, Foxtel now, Kayo Sports
Betting: Heat $1.71, Sixers $2.15
Overall record: Played 9, Sixers 8, Heat 1
Last meeting: Jan 1, 2019 – Sixers defeat Heat by 5 wickets with 3 balls to spare at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
Last five: Sixers 4, Heat 1
Umpires: Shawn Craig, John Ward

Sydney Sixers (squad)
Moises Henriques (c), Sean Abbott, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Daniel Hughes, Ben Menenti, Steve O’Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, James Vince

Brisbane Heat (squad)
Chris Lynn (c), Max Bryant, Ben Cutting, Brendan Doggett, Sam Heazlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Josh Lalor, Brendon McCullum, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Alex Ross, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman