Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat Prediction: Heats won their first game

Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat are going head to head in the 3rd Match of the Big Bash League at Adelaide Oval, Australia on 09 Dec 2023. Heats won the first game of the tournament and will be looking to continue the momentum. Who will win this game of cricket?

After reaching the knockout stages for three consecutive seasons, the Adelaide Strikers had a disappointing performance last time, finishing 7th on the points table. As they begin a new journey, the Strikers will aim to start off with a victory. However, they face a significant setback as their key spinner Rashid Khan has withdrawn from the entire season due to an injury, leaving a big void to fill. Despite this, the Strikers remain a formidable team, especially when playing at home. They possess a strong batting lineup, led by Chris Lynn and Matt Short. Joining them is D'Arcy Short, who joins from the Hobart Hurricanes. Other important players include Jake Weatherald, Jamie Overton, and Adam Hose. With Rashid Khan's absence, there will be added pressure on specialist spinners Ben Manteti and Cameron Boyce to step up. On a positive note, the Strikers have a strong pace attack with Henry Thornton and Brendan Doggett known for their pace, supported by James Bazley and David Payne.

Alex Carey (wk), Matthew Short, Chris Lynn, D'Arcy Short, Adam Hose, Harry Nielsen, James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Wes Agar, Ben Manenti, Jamie Overton

Brisbane Heat achieved a significant victory against the Melbourne Stars in their first match of the season, earning them not only 2 points but also greatly impacting their Net Run Rate (NRR). However, they can expect a tough challenge from the Strikers and will need to be in top form. It is uncertain whether Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, who performed well in the previous match, will be able to participate in Saturday's game due to their upcoming Test match with Pakistan. Colin Munro showcased an aggressive batting performance by scoring an unbeaten 99, contributing to his team's impressive total. To boost their run rate towards the end of the innings, Brisbane will also have Sam Billings, Max Bryant, and Paul Walter. Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett are likely to open the bowling, as they both took 2 wickets each in the last match and will aim for a repeat performance. Mitchell Swepson, who had a disappointing season previously, has started strongly by picking up 3 wickets and is expected to continue as the team's specialist spinner.

Colin Munro, Usman Khawaja (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Billings (wk), Max Bryant, Paul Walter, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann

It is probable that the team winning the coin toss will choose to field first. The pitch at the Adelaide Oval is generally favourable for batting, but offers some advantage to the fast bowlers at the beginning of the game. As the ball becomes older and softer, it will become easier for the batsmen to score runs. The team batting first will aim to score approximately 170 runs to provide a fair opportunity for the bowlers to defend. The weather forecast predicts overcast conditions and possible rain, with a temperature around 15 degrees Celsius. Despite being considered a strong team, the Adelaide Strikers are expected to face difficulties against the Brisbane Heat. The latter displayed a clinical performance on the opening night and is anticipated to continue their good form. Our recommendation is to bet on the Brisbane Heat for the victory.