What: Big Bash League
Who: Strikers v Sixers
When: Saturday, January 24 – 7.10pm (AEDT)
Where: Adelaide Oval
I Can Watch It On: Channel 10
Form Guide:
Strikers: WLNRWW
Sixers: LLWLW
20-20 Vision:
The Strikers have named veterans Brad Hodge and Shaun Tait in their 13-man squad. Hodge returns three weeks after breaking his arm warming up against the Hobart Hurricanes on New Year's Eve. Tait was rested from the final regular-season game against the Melbourne Renegades but will be ready to go on Saturday night. Jon Holland and Trent Lawford drop out of the squad. The men from Adelaide finished in top spot on the ladder after eight games with six wins, one loss and a no result. They enter the finals on with back-to-back wins including a 23-run victory over the Sixers at the SCG in the penultimate round.
The Sixers are boosted by the return of skipper Moises Henriques who's been granted a release from the Australia ODI squad for the semi final. Spinner Luke Doran has also been added to the Sixers' squad. The men in magenta enters Saturday's match on the back of a miraculous four-wicket win over the Sydney Thunder on Thursday night. Jordan Silk was the hero, taking the catch of the tournament and belting 69 off 43 deliveries. They finished fourth on the BBL04 ladder with five wins and three losses.
Reason To Watch:
There are plenty but we can't go past Silk. He scored an impressive 67 against the Striker during the regular season and was spectacular against the Thunder on Thursday. His tally of 266 runs at 88.67 this tournament leaves him second on the run-scorer's list behind the Perth Scorcher' Michael Klinger for the tournament.
Reason To Turn Away:
There isn't one. This will be a cracking match played in front of a full house at the Adelaide Oval. Don't miss a second of it.
Say What:
"He got through training no problems, he faced bowlers. He's very keen to play so unless something happens overnight (Thursday night), I'd say Brad Hodge is a good chance to play for us," Strikers coach Darren Berry.
"It's weird when you come into the game and you know you don't have to win but we wanted to make sure that we kept our unbeaten record against the Thunder going and that momentum now from the last three overs will certainly help us in the next match (Saturday's semi-final against the Adelaide Strikers)," Sixers veteran Brett Lee after Thursday's miraculous win over the Thunder.
Final Word:
The Strikers deserve to enter as favourites at the Adelaide Oval but the Sixers showed on Thursday night why they can never be discounted. They had no right to beat the Thunder but somehow scored 56 runs off the final three overs to enter Saturday' clash on the back of a win. It'll be a much tougher task against Shaun Tait and co and we're backing the Strikers to sneak home, but not with any great confidence. Strikers in a thriller.
Teams:
Strikers: Johan Botha (c) Travis Head Brad Hodge Ben Laughlin Tim Ludeman Gary Putland Kane Richardson Alex Ross Craig Simmons Kelvin Smith Shaun Tait Ryan ten Doeschate Adam Zampa.
Sixers: Moises Henriques (c), Sean Abbott Doug Bollinger Ryan Carters Ed Cowan Luke Doran Brett Lee Michael Lumb Nathan Lyon Nic Maddinson Stephen O'Keefe Jordan Silk Riki Wessels.
