BBL 7, Match 17, Preview: Strikers look to continue the winning momentum against Hurricanes

While Adelaide Strikers have been on a roll this season, it’s not been the similar story for Hobart Hurricanes who suffered two consecutive defeats at the very start of their campaign. They, although, came back a couple of days ago with a win against the Thunder, but are still positioned quite low in the standings. They will want to build on the positive result that they achieved the other night and put on another solid performance playing at home against Strikers tomorrow.

The Strikers, on the other hand, will try and make sure they don’t take the foot off the pedal. The momentum can change pretty quickly in T20 cricket and the curve can go downward. It has happened with many teams in the past. So it will be important for Travis Head and his boys to maintain the intensity and the hunger that they have shown so far and add 4 more points to their tally to inch closer to the knockouts.

The Hurricanes made a change at the top of the order in the last game and used Matthew Wade at no. 3. While the wicketkeeper-batsman couldn’t get a big one, he seemed to be timing the ball well and the Hurricanes management should give him a longer run at that position or maybe even open with him as he has got that game to capitalise on the field restrictions during the power-play. If Wade opens with D’Arcy Short, it will allow George Bailey to bat at 3 followed by Ben McDermott and Daniel Christian.

The Hurricanes’ bowling might have travelled a little bit against the Thunder, but it was an incredibly flat pitch at the Sydney Showground Stadium and almost every bowler playing in that game proved to be expensive. On paper, the Hurricanes have got all the ingredients which are needed to prepare a good T20 attack with raw pace, variations and wrist spin everything available in their ranks.

The Strikers, though, are not any bit behind the Hurricanes as far as the quality in the bowling department is concerned. Rashid Khan has probably been the best bowler in the tournament so far as there hasn’t been a single player who has managed to play him without any discomfort. Billy Stanlake and Ben Laughlin have also been mighty impressive.

The Strikers, however, would like a much-improved show from their batters. Even though they have won 3 games on the trot, the batting has not come to the fore. The captain Travis Head himself has struggled, while Collin Ingram, the overseas signing has failed to set the stage on fire as well. These two southpaws hold the key positions in the middle order of the strikers and they need to bat for a longer period of time to make sure they put their team in a dominating position.

Predicted XI

Hobart Hurricanes: Alex Doolan, D’Arcy Short, Matthew Wade (wk), Ben McDerott, Daniel Christian, George Bailey (C), Cameron Boyce, Clive Rose, Jofra Archer, Simon Milenko, Tymal Mills

Adelaide Strikers: Alex Carey (wk), Jake Weatherald, Travis Head (C), Collin Ingram, Jonathan Wells, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Rashid Khan, Peter Siddle, Ben Laughlin, Billy Stanlake