Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2022/23 Big Bash
Adelaide Strikers will host Brisbane Heat in match 40 of the 2022/23 Big Bash, the 12th edition of the tournament.
The game is scheduled to start at 3.30pm local time (5am GMT) on Saturday, January 14.
The game will be played at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide.
Adelaide Strikers are third in the Big Bash table and very much in the box seat to secure a post-season place, but they endured a night to forget in their most recent outing. Melbourne Stars, having only won twice all season, whittled through the Strikers' batting lineup, dismissing them for just 108 before winning by nine wickets with more than a quarter of the innings remaining. It ended a run of back-to-back Strikers wins.
Brisbane Heat are having a dismal BBL12, and are bottom of the pack after their nine matches, from which they've managed just two victories.
With the bat, Chris Lynn and Matt Short have been in excellent form for the Strikers - Thursday night aside. Lynn has 394 runs at an average of 44 this season, and is striking at 144-plus. Short, one of only two BBL centurions in 2022/23, has 379 runs and is striking above 148.
Brisbane Heat need players to step up with the bat following the departure of Colin Munro. The Kiwi smacked 278 runs at a strike rate above 150 but has now left the competition. Heat's leading runscorer in their matchday squad for Saturday is Jimmy Peirson with 194.
With the ball, Henry Thornton is the leading Strikers wicket-taker with 16, but most came early in the season and he has gone for an average of more than 10 runs per over through the last four matches.
Chris Lynn has been scoring runs for fun for Adelaide Strikers [Getty Images]
Chris Lynn against his former club. Lynn was a Heat mainstay for 11 years but moved to Adelaide ahead of BBL12 and has found rich form. At the top of the order, he and Matt Short have been taking attacks apart for fun throughout the campaign.
Hot. Temperatures expected to touch 33 degrees Celsius around the start of play. Very little chance of rain.
Australia internationals Travis Head and Alex Carey return to the matchday squad in a big boost for Adelaide Strikers. Colin de Grandhomme is also back after missing the defeat by Melbourne Stars with a hamstring problem. Harry Neilsen and Ryan Gibson drop out.
Sam Hain features in the Brisbane Heat matchday squad for the first time and could make his BBL debut.
Adelaide Strikers: Wes Agar, Cameron Boyce, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Ryan Gibson, Travis Head, Adam Hose, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Matt Short, Jake Weatherald, Henry Thorton, Peter Siddle, Ben Manenti, Jordan Buckingham (local replacement player)
Brisbane Heat: Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Sam Hain, Sam Heazlett, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Ross Whiteley, Jack Wildermuth, Spencer Johnson, Will Prestwidge, Josh Brown
*Squads are for the whole BBL and not specific to this match
Sam Hain could make his Brisbane Heat debut [Getty Images]
Adelaide Strikers: Matt Short, Alex Carey, Chris Lynn, Travis Head, Adam Hose, Colin de Grandhomme, Thomas Kelly/Wes Agar, Cameron Boyce, Henry Thornton, Ben Manenti, Peter Siddle
Brisbane Heat: Usman Khawaja, Sam Hain, Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson, Max Bryant, Mitch Swepson, Michael Neser, Mark Steketee, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann
Brisbane Heat are underdogs with the bookmakers, with a best price available of 13/10. Adelaide Strikers are hot favourites at 4/6 in places.
Brisbane Heat have the best possible opportunity to take points off Adelaide Strikers, who will be reeling after their performance on Thursday. But home advantage should come to the Strikers' rescue.
Yes. Tickets are available from $5 for children and $23 for adults, and can be bought via Ticketek.
Sky Sports hold the UK rights for the BBL, with coverage split between Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Mix.
Ball-by-ball radio commentary will also be available via BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Sounds for selected matches.
Fox Sports and Seven Network both have television rights in Australia, while coverage will also be available via the streaming service Kayo. Fox will show every game, while 45 matches, including the knockout stages, will be shown free-to-air on Channel Seven.
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