Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder Prediction: Strikers have deadly pace attack

Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder are going head to head in the 8th Match of the Big Bash League at Adelaide Oval, Australia on 19 Dec 2023. Strikers are going into the game with a deadly seam attack. Who will win this game of cricket?

The Strikers' first match of the season was cancelled due to bad weather, resulting in a draw with Brisbane Heat. Now, they are aiming to secure 2 full points on Tuesday and solidify their position in the top 4. Last season, the Adelaide Strikers had an impressive performance against Sydney Thunder, winning both games. During the away leg, they bowled out Sydney Thunder for a record-low score of 15 runs in the BBL. They hope to replicate this success on Tuesday. Much of their chances rest on Matthew Short and D'Arcy Short, who are expected to open the batting. The middle order consists of Chris Lynn, Jake Weatherald, Adam Hose, and James Bazley. The Strikers' strength lies in their seam attack, with Wes Agar, Henry Thornton, and Brendan Doggett being formidable with the new ball. Additionally, they have two skilled spinners, Ben Manteti and Cameron Boyce, in their squad.

Matt Short(c), D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Jake Weatherald, Adam Hose, Jamie Overton, Ben Manenti, Harry Nielsen(wk), Cameron Boyce, Wes Agar, Brendan Doggett.

The Sydney Thunder had a rough start to their campaign when they lost their first match to the Brisbane Heat. Although it is still early in the tournament, the Thunder will aim to recover quickly to enhance their chances of qualifying. The team possesses a strong opening pair in Alex Hales and Cameron Bancroft, who are known for their ability to hit the ball hard and provide a solid start. Additionally, the middle-order is formidable with the presence of Matthew Gilkes, Alex Ross, and Oliver Davies, while all-rounders Daniel Sams and Chris Green provide depth to the batting lineup. Sams, along with Liam Hatcher, Zaman Khan, and Nathan McAndrew, will contribute to the seam attack, while Green partners with Tanveer Sangha in the spin department. Sangha particularly impressed in the previous match, taking three wickets for only 21 runs, despite the team's loss.

Alex Hales, Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Gilkes (wk), Oliver Davies, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Chris Green (c), Nathan McAndrew, Liam Hatcher, Zaman Khan, Tanveer Sangha.

The team that wins the coin toss will most likely choose to field first. At the beginning of the match, the pitch at the Adelaide Oval favours the seamers, with the new ball swinging and offering plenty of pace and bounce. However, as the ball becomes older and softer, batting becomes easier. The team batting first will aim to achieve a score of around 170 runs. There may be some opportunity for spinners to get a turn in the second half of the match. The weather is expected to remain cloudy, but rain is unlikely. The temperature will be below 20 degrees Celsius.

Both teams have had an equal number of past head-to-head encounters, making it difficult to determine a clear favourite. However, we believe that the Strikers have a slight advantage in this contest. They were successful in defeating the Thunder twice in the previous season and should enter this contest with confidence. Nonetheless, we anticipate that the Sydney Thunder will put up a strong fight. Our recommendation is to place a bet on the Adelaide Strikers to win.