FANTASY
Follow UsAdelaide Strikers take on Perth Scorchers in Match 21 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (December 31). The Strikers have had a mixed tournament so far, having won three out of their five matches, while the Scorchers are rock bottom in the table and are the only team in the tournament to have not won a single match so far. In the earlier match between these two sides, it was the Strikers, who notched up a 71-run win after Scorchers were bowled out of just 94, chasing 166.
In the BBL so far, Strikers have a slender edge, having won nine out of the 17 meetings against Scorchers, who have won eight. However, Strikers have the clear advantage when it comes to the recent past, having won four out of the five matches.
BBL head-to-head
Overall: Matches – 17 | Strikers – 9 Wins | Scorchers – 8 Wins
Last 5 Matches: Strikers – 4 Wins | Scorchers – 1 Win
Suggested teams
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. Based on algorithms we come up with six different teams that could fetch crucial points.
Ground details and team combination
The Adelaide Oval has been among the busiest T20 venues in Australia this year. In the seven T20s at this venue, wickets have fallen 21.6 runs and 16.4 balls apart. Both the pacers and the spinners have a more or less equal say.
The spinners’ economy rate (7.3) is significantly better than the fast bowlers (8.3). But when it comes to the runs per wicket and balls per wicket ratio, the pacers are slightly ahead as they have struck once every 21.4 runs (Spinners: 21.9) and 15.5 deliveries (Spinners: 18) balls apart.
The average first innings total at the Adelaide Oval is 158, while in the second innings it drops down to 135. Moreover, in T20s this year, the team batting first at the Adelaide Oval have won five times, while only twice has a team successfully chased down a target.
Perth Scorchers opted to bowl after winning the toss here earlier, but might think twice before doing so again.
There could be some interesting match-ups too.
Jhye Richardson has bowled quite well so far this season, picking up six wickets at 13.50, while Alex Carey, barring that one innings of 55 against the Hurricanes at the start of the tournament, scored just nine and 15 in his next two innings and could be a tad tentative as a result. Introducing Richardson against Carey could be a wise idea as the Australia quick has dismissed the ‘keeper twice in five innings and moreover, has conceded just 24 runs off 22 balls against him.
If there was ever a one-sided contest, it has to be the one between Ashton Turner and Rashid Khan. The T20I player of the decade has dismissed Turner thrice in four innings and has given away just four runs from 21 deliveries. That works out to a batting average of 1.3 and strike-rate of just 19.1. Rashid did not get a crack at Turner in the previous match, but if he does, you can rest assure that there’s only one way this contest is heading.
Captain selection
Perth Scorchers received a massive boost when they handed England opener Jason Roy a place in the XI in the previous match. While he did not fire, he will be looking to get among the runs in this game for sure. Roy has six fifties from 20 innings in T20s this year, having scored 607 runs in total at a strike-rate of 130.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Roy could score 13-36 runs in this match.
X-Factors
With a fifty to go with a couple of wickets in the last two matches, Mitchell Marsh could be a handy pick. After sustaining an injury in the IPL earlier this year, Marsh seems to be getting back to his best and would want to contribute with both bat and ball in this game. He has scored 416 runs at a strike-rate of 129.2 and picked up eight wickets at an economy rate of 7.2 in T20s this year. He would surely want to sign off from 2020 on a high.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Marsh could score 9-26 runs and pick up 0-1 wickets in this match.
Picking Rashid Khan in your T20 side is a no-brainer. The Afghanistan leg-spinner has picked up 55 T20 wickets this year – only behind Haris Rauf with 57 – and moreover, he put in a player of the match winning performance in the previous game thanks to his 13-ball 29 with the bat and figures of 2 for 18 with the ball. He is yet to go wicketless this season, having scalped seven wickets at 21 so far.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Rashid could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match.
Every time Wes Agar has been brought into the attack, he has delivered for his captain, more often than not. He has never gone without a wicket in this edition so far and has picked up a minimum of two wickets in four out of the five matches he has played in. Agar is the captain’s go-to bowler regardless of the phase or the situation of the match and his four overs could once again play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the match and also play a part in success or failure of your fantasy team.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Agar could pick up 0-1 wickets in this match.
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