Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat, BBL 2020-21, Match 44: Fantasy Preview

Perth Scorchers take on Brisbane Heat in Match 44 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2020-21 at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. This will be the first match at this venue this season as the other two matches in the city were hosted at the MCG. This is the first of two matches between the two sides in a matter of a week and neither team would want to be on the losing side, considering we have well and truly entered the business end of the tournament.

Scorchers have a slight edge over Heat, having won seven out of their last 13 meetings. However, Heat have won three out of the last five matches against the Scorchers. 

BBL HEAD-TO-HEAD 

Overall: Matches – 13 | Scorchers – 7 Wins | Heat – 6 Wins

Last 5 Matches: Scorchers – 2 Wins | Heat – 3 Wins

Suggested TeamsWhile 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

In the five BBL matches since 2020 at the Docklands Stadium, the bowlers have picked up a wicket every 34.8 runs, 25.1 balls apart at an economy rate of 8.3. The spinners have been the better performers in this period, having picked up a wicket at an average of 31.7, struck once every 26.6 deliveries and have conceded at an economy rate of just 7.2. However, when it comes to the pacers, while they have a slightly better balls per wicket ratio (23.9), they have picked up a wicket every 37.4 runs and their economy rate is significantly higher at 9.4.

Fast bowlers will play a part in this match as well, but it could very well be the spinners who could decide the fate of this game. Hence, stock your team with 2-3 quality spinners and both teams have a quality in that department. 

The average first and second innings scores at this venue in BBL since 2020 has been 166, but the average winning score batting first has been 190. We could see a good contest between bat and ball in this match.

There could be a few interesting match-ups too.

Joe Burns hasn’t held back when it comes to facing Andrew Tye. The Aussie batsman has scored 35 off 19 balls against Tye, but has also been dismissed twice in three innings against him. Safe to say, that this could be yet another terrific tussle.

Morne Morkel played his first game of the competition against the Renegades in the previous match, where he had a decent outing. However, he could be in for a long night if he comes up against Jason Roy, against whom he has 33 runs from 17 deliveries, having dismissed the Englishman just once. 

Captain Selection

Chris Lynn has been terrific form this season after a slow start. He has scored three fifties in his last five innings, including a best of 69. Despite playing just six matches in the tournament, he is Heat’s leading run-scorer with 273 runs at 45.50, along with a strike-rate of 145.98. With him opening the batting, BBL’s all-time leading run-getter could be a thorn in the opposition’s flesh once again.

Our Criclytics player projector predicts Lynn could score 15-38 runs in this match.

X-Factors

Fast bowler Mark Steketee is yet to go wicketless in the competition and in the last five matches he has picked up 12 of his 18 wickets in the competition, which includes a career-best of 4 for 33 in the match against Sydney Sixers in his side’s first match of 2021. His 18 wickets for Heat has come at an impressive average of 15.94 and has struck once every 11.2 deliveries. 

Our Criclytics player projector predicts Steketee could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match.

Jhye Richardson has had a memorable tournament so far as he is the highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets to his name at 12.21, to go with his miserly economy rate of 6.53. His ability to strike at regular intervals without conceding many runs was one of the prime reasons behind Scorchers’ impressive five-match winning streak. He would look to bounce back in this match after not being particularly effective in the previous match against Sixers at Canberra. 

Our Criclytics player projector predicts Richardson could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match.

With two back-to-back fifties, Liam Livingstone has finally come good in this tournament after a lukewarm beginning. He will be looking to make it three in a row on Tuesday. He has been especially severe on the spinners this season against whom he has scored at an average of 34 and a strike-rate of 133.33 and will look to take them on once again in this game.

Our Criclytics player projector predicts Livingstone could score 13-36 runs and could pick up 0-1 wickets in this match.