Perth Scorchers take on Adelaide Strikers in the 20th game of Big Bash League 2011-12 on January 8.
This should be an interesting match-up given their respective positions in the points table. With three victories from four games, a win for Perth (10/11 at
Blue Square) in this match against Adelaide Strikers will take them level on points with the table-toppers Hobart Hurricanes. Almost certainly, it will also take them to the semi-final of the Big Bash League.
If the Strikers (10/11 at
Blue Square) defeat Perth, they will go level on six points with the Scorchers, and the two will be joined by one of Sydney Sixers or Thunder with the same number of wins.
Scorchers had a poor start to the tournament after bowling Hobart out for 140 in their opener. The top-order failed to get going, with failures for Herschelle Gibbs (3/1 at
bet365), Paul Collingwood and Michael Hussey ensuring a 31-run loss.
The recovery came in the remaining three games. They seemed doomed against the Melbourne Renegades, when they needed to chase 189 to win the game but a Shaun Marsh-99 pulled them to an eight-wicket win. Gibbs scored a half-century in that chase and followed it up with scores of 38 and 69 in the remaining two games to pull off wins for the side.
The Strikers will look to get back into the form that had seen their state side, South Australia Redbacks win the KFC Big Bash last year. Their over-reliance on Michael Klinger (7/2 at
Ladbrokes) and Daniel Harris for starts and the lack of runs from Callum Ferguson is an obvious issue.
Aiden Blizzard’s 18-ball 30 in the first match was followed by scores of 20 (13 balls) and 20 (14 balls), which meant that he lost his place in the squad. With the Strikers winning their previous game thanks to come excellent batting from Michael Klinger and Tom Cooper, he may not make it back to the playing 11 for this game.
James Muirhead dished out a load of full-tosses but got two crucial wickets in his previous game and he could get another chance here.
Perth Scorchers squad
MJ North*, TM Beaton, MA Beer, PD Collingwood, NM Coulter-Nile, LM Davis, R Duffield, BM Edmondson, HH Gibbs, GB Hogg, MEK Hussey, SM Katich, MR Marsh, SE Marsh, JM Mennie, LA Pomersbach, NJ Rimmington, L Ronchi†
Adelaide Strikers squad
M Klinger*, AC Blizzard, CJ Borgas, J Botha, LA Carseldine, TLW Cooper, AJ Crosthwaite, TP Doropoulos, BG Drew, CJ Ferguson, DJ Harris, NM Lyon, BE McGain, J Muirhead, AW O'Brien, KA Pollard, KW Richardson, DR Salpietro, AC Thomas
The Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers Big Bash League game will begin at 10.00 am GMT on January 8.
