The Sixers, who are bidding for a third consecutive Big Bash title, are 20/23 for victory at the SCG but 5/6 shots Adelaide are in fine form.
The Strikers, with Australia’s Ashes heroes Alex Carey and Travis Head back in their ranks, have won their last six matches including a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the Sixers in Adelaide on January 17.
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Experienced Bowlers Should Relish Big Occasion
Sydney Sixers have an illustrious recent pedigree in the Big Bash and, despite the absence of batsmen James Vince and Steve Smith, their team is packed with top-level experience.
All-rounders Moises Henriques and Dan Christian have a wealth of Twenty20 knowledge and spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe are canny operators.
Their most successful bowler this season has been unheralded left-armer Hayden Kerr, who has picked up 24 wickets and is 3/1 to be the Sixers’ top bowler against the Strikers.
The only bowler with more scalps than Kerr in the tournament is Adelaide’s veteran paceman Peter Siddle, who has claimed 29 victims during a memorable season. Siddle combined with 39-year-old leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed to defeat the Sixers in their last league meeting and the evergreen pair will be hoping for a similar impact at the SCG.
Opening Show Could Be Crucial
Adelaide’s opening pair Carey and Matthew Short put on 145 for the first wicket in their opening playoff win over Hobart Hurricanes and the Strikers are 10/13 to have a higher opening partnership than the 11/10 Sixers.
Sydney opener Josh Philippe is an exciting prospect and a prolific Big Bash runscorer but he has had three ducks in his last eight innings and is 5/6 to score under 23.5 runs on Wednesday.
Short has reached 25 in six of his last seven innings, including scores of 89 and 72 not out against the Hurricanes, and he is 11/4 to be the Strikers’ top batsman. A decent batting pitch is expected in Sydney so backing Short to score at least 50 at 10/3 could be better value.
Another Adelaide batter to keep an eye on is overseas signing Ian Cockbain, who is set to come in at number three. The Gloucestershire stalwart made 71 not out against the Sixers in the Strikers’ final league fixture and a quickfire 65 in the playoff win over Sydney Thunder last time out and he is 10/3 to top-score for the fourth time in six Big Bash appearances.
Playoff Batters Eyeing Up Elusive Century
The talent on show means there should be a good contest between bat and ball and it is 7/1 that a century is scored in the match.
Short’s 89 against the Hurricanes was Adelaide Strikers’ highest individual score of the campaign while Philippe ended up 99 not out in the Sixers’ win over Melbourne Stars before Christmas.
One area in which the Sixers could have the edge is in six-hitting and they are 21/20 to clear the ropes more often than the Strikers. Philippe, Henriques and Christian have all struck at least ten sixes this season and number nine Ben Dwarshuis showed the depth of their batting, top-scoring with 66 off just 28 balls against Perth Scorchers last time out.
*All odds correct at time of writing.