KFC Big Bash: Redbacks vs Bulls

Another season defining match in the domestic T20 competition, with the South Australian Redbacks taking on the Queensland Bulls at the Gabba.  Both teams have 1 win and 2 losses so far this season and require a win to stay in contention for a spot in the top three and a chance to progress to the Champions League.

 

SA started the season impressively beating WA at home by 35 runs in a rain shortened match even though SA went 6 / 15 at the end of their innings.  They then lost the next 2 matches, firstly to Victoria with 1 ball to spare and then NSW thanks to Warner smashing 65 from 35 balls including 4 sixes.  SA posted totals of 182, 183 and 168 respectively in batting first each time, at an average run rate of 8.88.  Once again, the Redbacks will look to opener Harris to get the team off to a strong start.  Harris is the leading run-scorer at the halfway mark of the Big Bash, and has hit most sixes (7) and most fours (15), having scored 157 runs from 99 balls in 3 matches, with a top score of 98 from 62 balls in the loss to Victoria.  In other starts this season he made 35 (20) and 24 (17) respectively.  Cooper will also be an important factor in the Redbacks innings, he scored 50 (36) against Victoria (5 fours) and followed up with 46 (41) against NSW (3 fours, 1 six).  Yet to shine in the Big Bash, Tanvir will be important for the Redbacks bowling attack which will be without Tait, after all, he was the most successful bowler in the IPL with 22 wickets and is due to perform.

 

Batting first for the only time this season, the Bulls lost their first match to NSW as Hughes smashed 80 from 60 balls.  Whilst NSW only won with 2 balls remaining, they were in command for most of the chase and the final scorecard reads a lost closer than the match played out.  The Bulls lost the following match to Tasmania - despite opener, Hopes, smashing 58 from 37 balls they couldn’t reach the target of 185.  Then in an upset the Bulls beat Victoria with 2 balls remaining thanks to Carseldine’s unbeaten 64, and it is this victory that rests in the Bookies minds in placing the Bulls as slight favourites in this contest.  The Qld bowling attack managed to keep the Victorian batsmen to their lowest total of the T20 season thus far.  Qld needed 22 off the final two overs to win that match and were assisted by a pair of sixes in the penultimate over by Wright.  Qld posted totals of 161, 166 and 162 respectively, at an average run rate of 8.26.  Carseldine and Reardon will be the key to the Qld batting lineup and McDermott (Alister that is) could be the danger man for the Redback openers, who collected 1 for 13 on debut last match.

 

SA has won 3 of its 7 Ford Ranger one day matches this season (lost all away matches) whilst Qld has won 4 from 7 (won all home matches) including a 59 run win against SA at home in which Hopes hit 50 runs off 32 balls including 9 fours and a six.  SA did manage to beat Qld at the Gabba in their Sheffield Shield match however.

 

Whilst all of the above is important, the crucial factor in this match-up revolves around the national T20 selections.  SA will lose their strike bowler in Tait for this match who took 3 for 30 against NSW with all wickets being top order batsmen (also bowled Warner with a no-ball in his second over).  Nevertheless, SA didn’t have the services of Tait for the first 2 T20 matches and should be able to cope without him.  Tait will be replaced by Matthew Weeks.  Qld on the other hand will be without Hopes and new ball bowler Harris, which IMO is a comparatively greater loss.  Hopes and Harris have been in sterling form for the Bulls this summer.  Harris has picked up five T20 wickets this season at 17.6 with figures of 1 / 33, 3 / 26 and 1/ 29 respectively at a team-high economy rate of 7.33.  Hopes on the other hand opens the batting for the Bulls and is the Bulls number 2 run-scorer in the T20 form with 103 at 34.3 to go with 2 wickets and an economy rate of 8.5.  Hopes has made 58 (37) and 39 (49) in his last two outings and will be missed.

 

Will wait until later in the day to put this one on, but at this stage the Redbacks look the better pick to me at $1.97.  The Bulls will find it hard to compensate for the loss of Hopes and Harris.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I'll be all over the Redbacks, I singled this game out the moment the lines came up days ago

In light of Tait's ommission, I continue to probe the depth of the SA bowling attack; whilst the Bulls batting lineup is no Bushrangers squad, it will be important to contain them.  Looking to the Ford Ranger Cup, and the Rebacks attack has been impotent - they only took 26 wickets with the ball in their first 5 matches.  Further, they only bowled 7 maiden overs. Tait, is the only bowler to have taken more than 5 wickets and only Tait and all-rounder O'Brien have an economy rate of less than 5 runs per over.  This is the primary reason the Redbacks are sitting on 3 wins in that competition. 

 

Is the Bulls batting lineup salivating at the prospect of facing this limp bowling attack on the flat Gabba wicket?  Or will the young 19 yr old Richardson (right arm fast bowler) and Tanvir put some early pressure on the slog-fest?

Redbacks @ $2.00 (2)

 

Good price at $2.00, I continue to wait but odds at my book aren't getting any sexier. 

 

Great day in NBA today AB, both totals and the spread on the Knicks - well done

 

Great right up gun.

 

SA's batting looked pretty ordinairy against NSW the other night to me. even though they put an ok score (cricinfo score board says 160) nearly all batsmen had trouble finding the middle of the bat.

 

agree they seem a decent chance here though.

Thanks Binomial, GL in '09. 

 

I agree that the Redbacks lacked urgency in their innings at the Adelaide Oval - and you're correct, the total was 160 not 168.  However, I attribute that mainly to the polished bowling of the Blues, especially Bird and Bracken and then Cameron and Thornley midway through the innings.  160 was never going to be enough against Warner.  I don't see the Bulls bowling as well as the Baby Blues, but if they do the Redbacks could be in trouble.

Good start, SA winning the toss and electing to bat first.  11 runs off the first over.

SA openers need to be cautious of Riimmington, he is the danger man IMO

50 from the first 5 overs, SA openers looking good.  The Qld attack lacks depth, so there is no reason why they can't go on

 

Redbacks end their innings 7/163

 

Great recovery by Manou and Tanvir

Nice innings from Harris again (40(28)), but the top order then proceeded to crumble - can't cap that.  Nice save, and I'm confident it'll be enough - Qld will need to score its 2nd highest total of the season to win.

 

 

 

 

Can't allow this partnership to get moving..