KFC Big Bash: Redbacks vs Bulls

Another season defining match in the domestic T20 competition, with the South Australian Redbacks taking on the Queensland Bulls at the Gabba.  Both teams have 1 win and 2 losses so far this season and require a win to stay in contention for a spot in the top three and a chance to progress to the Champions League.

SA started the season impressively beating WA at home by 35 runs in a rain shortened match even though SA went 6 / 15 at the end of their innings.  They then lost the next 2 matches, firstly to Victoria with 1 ball to spare and then NSW thanks to Warner smashing 65 from 35 balls including 4 sixes.  SA posted totals of 182, 183 and 168 respectively in batting first each time, at an average run rate of 8.88.  Once again, the Redbacks will look to opener Harris to get the team off to a strong start.  Harris is the leading run-scorer at the halfway mark of the Big Bash, and has hit most sixes (7) and most fours (15), having scored 157 runs from 99 balls in 3 matches, with a top score of 98 from 62 balls in the loss to Victoria.  In other starts this season he made 35 (20) and 24 (17) respectively.  Cooper will also be an important factor in the Redbacks innings, he scored 50 (36) against Victoria (5 fours) and followed up with 46 (41) against NSW (3 fours, 1 six).  Yet to shine in the Big Bash, Tanvir will be important for the Redbacks bowling attack which will be without Tait, after all, he was the most successful bowler in the IPL with 22 wickets and is due to perform.

Batting first for the only time this season, the Bulls lost their first match to NSW as Hughes smashed 80 from 60 balls.  Whilst NSW only won with 2 balls remaining, they were in command for most of the chase and the final scorecard reads a lost closer than the match played out.  The Bulls lost the following match to Tasmania - despite opener, Hopes, smashing 58 from 37 balls they couldn’t reach the target of 185.  Then in an upset the Bulls beat Victoria with 2 balls remaining thanks to Carseldine’s unbeaten 64, and it is this victory that rests in the Bookies minds in placing the Bulls as slight favourites in this contest.  The Qld bowling attack managed to keep the Victorian batsmen to their lowest total of the T20 season thus far.  Qld needed 22 off the final two overs to win that match and were assisted by a pair of sixes in the penultimate over by Wright.  Qld posted totals of 161, 166 and 162 respectively, at an average run rate of 8.26.  Carseldine and Reardon will be the key to the Qld batting lineup and McDermott (Alister that is) could be the danger man for the Redback openers, who collected 1 for 13 on debut last match.

SA has won 3 of its 7 Ford Ranger one day matches this season (lost all away matches) whilst Qld has won 4 from 7 (won all home matches) including a 59 run win against SA at home in which Hopes hit 50 runs off 32 balls including 9 fours and a six.  SA did manage to beat Qld at the Gabba in their Sheffield Shield match however.

Whilst all of the above is important, the crucial factor in this match-up revolves around the national T20 selections.  SA will lose their strike bowler in Tait for this match who took 3 for 30 against NSW with all wickets being top order batsmen (also bowled Warner with a no-ball in his second over).  Nevertheless, SA didn’t have the services of Tait for the first 2 T20 matches and should be able to cope without him.  Tait will be replaced by Matthew Weeks.  Qld on the other hand will be without Hopes and new ball bowler Harris, which IMO is a comparatively greater loss.  Hopes and Harris have been in sterling form for the Bulls this summer.  Harris has picked up five T20 wickets this season at 17.6 with figures of 1 / 33, 3 / 26 and 1/ 29 respectively at a team-high economy rate of 7.33.  Hopes on the other hand opens the batting for the Bulls and is the Bulls number 2 run-scorer in the T20 form with 103 at 34.3 to go with 2 wickets and an economy rate of 8.5.  Hopes has made 58 (37) and 39 (49) in his last two outings and will be missed.

Will wait until later in the day to put this one on, but at this stage the Redbacks look the better pick to me at $1.97.  The Bulls will find it hard to compensate for the loss of Hopes and Harris.