Hobart Hurricanes vs Brisbane Heat, Big Bash League 2020-21, Today Match Prediction 30 Dec 2020

hbh vs brh Match Prediction & Analysis

Brisbane Heat finally managed to open their account in the Big Bash League 2020-21 after securing a solid 4-wicket win against Hobart Hurricanes. That one win helped them move from the bottom of the table straight to the 6th position. They will now have a chance to move further up the ladder when they face the Hurricanes again in their next clash on Wednesday at the Gabba. Meanwhile, Hobart would be hurting from that loss. They are still in the 3rd spot in the points table but wouldn’t to slip any further. Expect them to come out stronger in this game. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Hobart Hurricanes Preview

Hobart Hurricanes have had a good season so far but would want to be a little more consistent. They have won 3 games while losing 2 and have a good opportunity to remain in the top four if they can get a few more victories under their belt. They are coming off a 4-wicket loss in their last match against Brisbane Heat. The batsmen could only post 148-7 on the board and the target was achieved in only 17.2 overs.

Hobart’s batting is a little too dependent on the likes of D Arcy Short and Ben McDermott. Captain Peter Handscomb and Colin Ingram need to take a lot more responsibility during the middle overs. Tim David has been in decent knick lower down the order and he could be the one to watch out for again.

The team’s bowling is quite settled with James Faulkner and Scott Boland doing a consistently good job. Riley Meredith has been economical and among the wickets too while D Arcy Short showed in the last game that his spin bowling could be more than handy with a spell of 3-18. Expect this bowling unit to deliver the goods again.

Hobart Hurricanes Predicted Playing XI:

D Arcy Short, Dawid Malan, Ben McDermott (wk), Peter Handscomb (c), Colin Ingram, Tim David, James Faulkner, Nathan Ellis, Scott Boland, Wil Parker, Riley Meredith

Hobart Hurricanes Actual Playing XI:

Riley Meredith, Colin Ingram, Wil Parker, Scott Boland, Nathan Ellis, Tim David, D'Arcy Short, Keemo Paul, Peter Handscomb, Dawid Malan, Ben McDermott

Brisbane Heat Preview

Brisbane Heat will be thrilled after getting their first win of the season in their last game against the Hobart Hurricanes. That victory will give them the confidence to take on the same opposition again in a couple of days. It was a solid performance where their bowling clicked and the batting was excellent for the most part. After restricting the opposition to just 148, Brisbane was flying at 67-0 in 5 overs at one point. However, they lost their way after the openers Max Bryant (31 off 19 balls) and Sam Heazlett (48 off 87 balls) were dismissed before closing out the match in the end eventually.

Brisbane’s middle-order hence will again be a concern. The likes of Daniel Lawrence, Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth, and Lewis Gregory have been inconsistent and the openers would hence have to lay a strong platform again.

The team’s bowling, however, excelled. Lewis Gregory picked up 3 wickets while Wildermuth and Mark Steketee bowled decent spells. Off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivered an economical spell again and he would again be the ace in their pack as they will be playing on the same pitch.

Brisbane Heat Predicted Playing XI:

Sam Heazlett, Max Bryant, Daniel Lawrence, Tom Cooper, Jack Wildermuth, Lewis Gregory, Jimmy Peirson (c & wk), James Bazley, Mark Steketee, Xavier Bartlett, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Brisbane Heat Actual Playing XI:

James Bazley, Simon Milenko, TLW Cooper, Lewis Gregory, Sam Heazlett, Jimmy Peirson, Xavier Bartlett, Mark Steketee, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Max Bryant, Jack Wildermuth

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Gabba in Brisbane is expected to behave the same way as it did in the last game between the Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes. It’s great to bat early on when the ball comes on quite hard to the bat. But the surface slows down towards the second half of the innings where the seamers and slower bowlers get good purchase. 

The weather forecast for the day of the game isn’t quite bright. Some showers are expected and the clouds will remain overcast. A full game might not happen.
 

Venue Details

In the previous game at the Gabba this season, a total aggregate of exactly 300 runs was achieved. It isn’t a high-scoring venue and with rain on the radar, scoring won’t be that easy if the pitch becomes a little moist. The team batting first should target a total of around 160 to be on the safer side.

Toss: To Bowl

The team winning the toss should look to bowl first. As we have seen on this venue, chasing has been a much better option and with some rain expected that’s will be the safer choice.