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Brisbane Heat take on Hobart Hurricanes in the 2021-22 Big Bash.
The game is set for Saturday, January 8. The first ball will be bowled at 7.30pm local time (9.30am GMT).
The game will be held at the Gabba in Brisbane.
BBL11 has not been kind to Brisbane Heat.
A combination of misfiring performances and Covid-19 isolation has led to just three wins from nine outings and Heat currently sit third bottom of the table.
That said, they are still not out of the running for a place in the knockout rounds, and can still catch Hobart Hurricanes - who sit fourth going into Saturday's round of fixtures.
Victory at the Gabba in this one would certainly give them hope, but things are stacked against them with multiple selection problems. More on that below.
Hurricanes, who are without Matthew Wade for this one after the Aussie international decided to take a break from the game for personal reasons, have lost their last two. They sit fourth.
The corresponding fixture between the two teams on New Year's Day ended in a 14-run win for Hobart.
Matthew Wade is absent for personal reasons (Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Simply put, Brisbane Heat need a patchwork bandage of replacement players and local stand-ins to deal with the Hobart threat.
Twelve members of their squad remain in Covid isolation, as well as head coach Wade Seccombe, meaning the backup XI will be in action again - as it was in defeat by Melboune Renegades on Saturday.
Keep an eye particularly on how Sam Grant - the South Australia Redback who made his Heat debut against Renegades and returned figures of 3 for 20 - does against the Hobart pair of Ben McDermott and D'Arcy Short.
McDermott has 265 runs at 33 this season, while McDermott has 364 at 60, including two centuries.
Scott Boland (international commitments), Nathan Ellis (injury), Josh Kann (Covid) and Joel Paris (injury) are out for Hobart, while Englishman Tom Lammonby returns as a replacement overseas player. Compatriots Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson remain isolated as a precaution after being a close contact of a Covid case.
Peter Handscomb captains the Hurricanes in Wade's absence.
It's set to be 24 degrees with little chance of rain come the start of play. Game on!
Brisbane Heat: TBC
Hobart Hurricanes: Gabe Bell, Tim David, Peter Handscomb (c), Caleb Jewell, Sandeep Lamichhane, Tom Lammonby, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Wil Parker, Tom Rogers, Will Sanders, D'Arcy Short, Mac Wright
Jake Lehmann made a half-century on his Brisbane Heat debut on January 6 (Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
Brisbane Heat: Jake Lehmann, Jack Clayton, Fakhar Zaman, Sam Heazlett, Tom Cooper (c), Lachlan Pfeffer, Steven McGiffin, Will Prestwidge, Ronan McDonald, David Grant, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Hobart Hurricanes: Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Caleb Jewell, Tom Lammonby, Peter Handscomb (c), Tim David, Wil Parker, Thomas Rogers, Riley Meredith, Sandeep Lamichhane, Gabe Bell
Unsurprisingly, Hobart Hurricanes are heavily fancied here. Most bookmers are offering 1/4 on the Hobart win, with Brisbane Heat a best-price 10/3 in places.
Even if Hobart Hurricanes are out of form, they really ought to win here. And will.
Sky Sports have bought the rights for the competition through to 2025, and they will broadcast all 61 games in the UK.
Fox Sports and Seven Network both have television rights in Australia: subscription broadcaster Fox show every game, while free-to-air Seven will simulcast 45 matches.
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will have ball-by-ball radio coverage of the tournament for UK listeners.
Where can I watch the competition elsewhere in the world?
North America: Willow
MENA: beIN Sports
Sub Saharan Africa: SuperSport
Indian Subcontinent: Sony
New Zealand: Sky Sport
BIG BASH TEAM GUIDES (open in external window in app)
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