Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes, BBL T20 2022, Today Match Prediction

brh vs hbh Match Prediction & Analysis

We are now heading toward the final stages of BBL 12. Brisbane Heat have three games left to make a final dash of making it to the BBL finals. They are currently 2nd from last in the points table with 9 points and a net run rate of -0.721. They can still turn things around if they win all their remaining matches and hope some other results go their way. Brisbane next face Hobart Hurricanes on the 20th at the Gabba. The Hurricanes are 5th on the table with 10 points and a net run rate of -0.270. A win here will improve their chances of entering the top four.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Brisbane Heat Preview

After two losses in a row against Perth Scorchers, Brisbane Heat made a comeback of sorts by clinching two back-to-back wins against Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars respectively. In their previous game, Brisbane clinched a last-ball thriller while chasing a target of 160 against the Stars. Matt Renshaw took them home with a brilliant unbeaten 90 off 56 balls. It was the left-handed batter's first fifty of the season and couldn’t have come at a better time.

With their highest run-getter, Colin Munro, and middle-order batter Sam Billings, having left for the International League T20, the onus will now be on skipper Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne to do the bulk of the scoring along with Renshaw.

Brisbane’s bowling has predominantly revolved around new ball bowler Michael Neser, who is the team’s leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps at an economy of 8.21. The right-arm seam bowler returned figures of 4-25 in the match against Melbourne Stars the other night. Medium pacer James Bazley (12 wickets in 7 innings at 8.48) and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann (11 wickets in 10 innings at 7.53) are the two other bowlers who have made the most impact.

Brisbane Heat Predicted Playing XI:

Josh Brown, Usman Khawaja (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw, Sam Hain, Jimmy Peirson (wk), James Bazley, Michael Neser, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Kuhnemann

Brisbane Heat Actual Playing XI:

Michael Neser, Josh Brown, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Kuhnemann, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Jimmy Peirson, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, James Bazley, Sam Hain

Hobart Hurricanes Preview

Hobart Hurricanes are coming off a 7-wicket loss to Perth Scorchers. Batting first at Perth, they could post only 146-9 on the board, and the Scorchers overhauled the target in 17.3 overs. The Hurricanes too, have three matches left to make it to the BBL finals. 

The Hurricanes will be banking on Tim David, their highest run-getter this season, to produce something special. He’s averaged 40 this season and has been striking it at 162. Opener Caleb Jewell (247 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of 159.35) has also been consistent. Captain Matthew Wade has had a few quiet games, but you can never count him out. He was in terrific form during the first half of the season and will be itching to produce a few impactful knocks.

Riley Meredith leads the Hurricanes’ bowling charts with 17 wickets in 11 innings at an economy of 8.25. Left-arm chinaman Patrick Dooley is having a great season too, taking 16 wickets in 9 matches at an economy of just 6.09. Another bowler to keep an eye out for is right-arm seamer Nathan Ellis (14 wickets in 11 matches at 8.66).

Hobart Hurricanes Predicted Playing XI:

Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Zak Crawley, Matthew Wade (c & wk), D Arcy Short, Tim David, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Andrews, Nathan Ellis, Patrick Dooley, Riley Meredith

Hobart Hurricanes Actual Playing XI:

Mitchell Owen, Zak Crawley, Riley Meredith, Faheem Ashraf, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Wade, D'Arcy Short, Timothy David, Caleb Jewell, Joel Paris, Ben McDermott

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Gabba offers trustable bounce and swing, with plenty of help for the seam bowlers. Batters will get their chance to score once they get used to the conditions a little. The fast outfield will aid their cause as well.

Some rain is expected in Brisbane on the day of the match and we might get a shortened game.

Venue Details

The average score batting first at the Gabba is 165. However, we have already seen a high-scoring game here this season itself where Brisbane Heat smashed 224-5 on batting first – the highest team total in T20s at the Gabba - against Sydney Sixers. What’s more, the Sixers managed to score 209 in response. It remains to be seen if the pitch remains as flat as it was during that match, but the team batting first should look o get at least 180-190 on the board.

 

Toss: To Bowl

Batting tends to get easier in the second half on this venue as 27 of the 53 matches played here have been won by the chasing side. The captain winning the toss is likely to field first.