Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat Prediction: Brisbane has better H2H record

Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat are going head to head in the 6th Match of the Big Bash League at Manuka Oval, Griffith, Australia on 12 Dec 2023. Heats have a better head-to-head record against the hosts and they will be looking forward to extending that. Who will win this game of cricket?

Last season, the Sydney Thunder had a successful performance winning 7 out of 14 matches and securing a 4th place position on the points table. This allowed them to reach the playoffs for the 4th consecutive season. However, they were eliminated by the Brisbane Heat in the Eliminator round. The team will be relying on their strong batting unit once again, with Alex Hales leading the way at the top of the order. In the absence of David Warner, Cameron Bancroft is likely to be his opening partner. The middle order consists of talented players like Jason Sangha, Alex Ross, and Daniel Sams, who have the potential to be game-changers. Sams, being a quality all-rounder, was the leading wicket-taker for the team last season. He will be supported in the seam department by Nathan McAndrew and Liam Hatcher. The addition of Pakistani bowler Zaman Khan adds another valuable option for the team in the bowling department. Chris Green, who had a successful season with 14 wickets, will be leading the team this time and will be accompanied by Tanveer Sangha in the spin department.

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

The Brisbane Heat secured an impressive victory against the Melbourne Stars in their first match of the season. However, their next game was called off due to rain, resulting in them sharing points with the Strikers. Despite this, they currently hold the top position in the points table. Colin Munro was outstanding in the opening match and is expected to open the batting once again. With Usman Khawaja no longer available due to international commitments, Josh Brown will join Munro in the squad. The middle order will consist of Sam Billings, Paul Walter, and Max Bryant. Nathan McSweeney, who has been performing well in domestic cricket, can fulfil the role of a finisher with the bat and provide support to Mitchell Swepson with his off-spin bowling. The team's seam attack is a major strength, with Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett forming an excellent opening bowling duo, and Spencer Johnson coming on as the first change.

Colin Munro (c), Matt Renshaw, Sam Billings (wk), Max Bryant, Jimmy Pierson, Paul Walter, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann

It is highly probable that the team that wins the toss will choose to bowl first. The pitch at the Manuka Oval is well-balanced, with the ball providing assistance to seamers in the early stages due to its tendency to seam and swing. Batsmen need to exercise caution when facing a new ball, but it should become easier to bat as the ball becomes softer. The team batting first will aim to score approximately 170 runs. The weather is expected to be cloudy with a chance of rain, and the temperature will range from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Despite the Sydney Thunder's strong team, they are likely to struggle against a formidable opponent like Brisbane. In our opinion, Brisbane Heat has a well-rounded team, making them the favoured choice to win.