Team news, key match-ups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, umpire appointments, start times, venue and squad lists for the 36th game of BBL11
Brisbane Heat take on Sydney Sixers in the 36th game of the 2021-22 Big Bash.
The game is set for Wednesday, January 5. It was originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 4 but was postponed by 24 hours due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Brisbane Heat camp.
The first ball will be bowled at 7.15pm local time (8.15am GMT).
The game will be held at the Metricon Stadium in Carrara.
Sydney Sixers lost just one of their opening eight matches but were defeated by Perth Scorchers in their most recent outing, suffering a shock top-order collapse to fall six points behind the BBL10 finalists in the race for first place.
Fifth-placed Brisbane Heat have won three and lost five of their eight matches to date and are three points behind fourth-placed Hobart Hurricanes. However, the Heat have been struck by a Covid-19 outbreak. Which players will be ruled out of Wednesday's clash is yet to be confirmed.
The return game between these two sides was extraordinary, with Brisbane bowled out for just 105 and then coming desperately close to defending their paltry total. Sydney were 35 for 7 after nine overs before launching their recovery through Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis.
Josh Philippe has been in fine form with the bat (Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Chris Lynn is yet to fire in this year's tournament, averaging just shy of 20 and with just a single half century. Instead, others have stepped up, with Ben Duckett proving his class as an astute overseas signing, while Sam Heazlett is the team's leading run-scorer. Lynn, though, remains the player opposition sides most fear.
In Abbott, however, Sixers have the Big Bash's all-time highest wicket-taker and one of the competition's savviest-ever operators. Hayden Kerr, meanwhile, is also enjoying a productive season with the ball, picking up 4 for 32 against the Scorchers to move to 15 wickets for the season - only AJ Tye (16) has taken more.
Josh Philippe is a Big Bash cheatcode and has continued in the same vein as so often in smashing 295 runs in eight innings. However, he has faltered in recent matches, posting knocks of 23, 13, 0 and 0 in his past four innings after starting the tournament with three half-centuries in four matches.
Dan Christian has stepped up to the plate when Sydney's top-order have faltered, scoring 41 not out and 73 in recent matches.
Sam Nogajski and Troy Penman are the men in the middle for this encounter.
Damp conditions are forecast in Carrara, with temperatures hovering around the low teens.
Brisbane Heat: Tom Abell (Fakhar Zaman, three games from January 6), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Tom Cooper, Ben Duckett, Liam Guthrie, Sam Heazlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne (Nathan McSweeney), Chris Lynn, Michael Neser (Cameron Gannon), Jimmy Pierson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Will Prestwidge, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson (Hugo Burdon), Jack Wildermuth
Sydney Sixers: Moises Henriques, Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird (Lawrence Neil-Smith), Daniel Christian, Tom Curran (injured for the rest of the season), Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Daniel Hughes, Chris Jordan (first five matches), Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon (Nick Winter), Ben Manenti, Stephen O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, James Vince, Shadab Khan
Ben Duckett has proven an astute signing (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Brisbane Heat: Chris Lynn, Jimmy Peirson, Ben Duckett, Sam Heazlett, Max Bryant, Xavier Bartlett, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Liam Guthrie (subject to confirmation of positive Covid-19 results)
Sydney Sixers: Josh Philippe, James Vince, Daniel Hughes, Moises Henriques, Jordan Silk, Daniel Christian, Sean Abbott, Hayden Kerr, Shadab Khan, Ben Dwarshuis, Lloyd Pope
Oddschecker has offered odds of 11/8 for a Brisbane Heat win, with 4/6 for Sydney Sixers.
Facing a Covid-depleted Brisbane Heat, the Sixers should return to winning ways with ease. Sixers win.
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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