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Batting talent limited
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Go under runs par line
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Coulter-Nile no 90/1 chance
Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Stars
Saturday 31 December, 08:00
TV: Live on BT Sports
Team news
Jake Weatherald is out with an abdominal strain so Chris Lynn may be asked to return to his opening role after a duck for Henry Hunt against Perth. Strikers can ill-afford losing batting power because they have limited options in reserve.
Possible XI: Short, Lynn, Hunt, Hose, de Grandhomme, Kelly, Manenti, Neilsen, Rashid, Siddle, Thornton
Stars and Heat are competing to be tournament whipping boys. Stars have one win in four and were thrahsed against Perth last time out. Their batting is no way near strong enough but, like Strikers, they don't have the personnel to make changes.
Possible XI: Clarke, Rogers, Webster, Larkin, Stoinis, Cartwright, Kellaway, Coulter-Nile, Wood, Zampa, Boult
Pitch report
Adelaide has not been a road for a while. Only two teams batting first busted 170 from seven in the World T20. In last term's Bash the mark was also busted twice from seven. More than 160 was bang on even money including World T20 and the 2021-22 Bash matches. This season there have been scores of 184 and 150.
Both teams batting is suspect. Strikers average 7.7 runs per over and Stars 7.5. Going under 155.5 on the par line is a solid option.
How to play
Strikers are 1.774/5 with STars approaching 2.305/4. That;'s skinny about the Strikers considering both teams are bowling teams. Strikers have also lost their last two after batting issues.
Still, we recognise that Strikers' bowling is more storied and consistent. But it is hard to reckon they are the value call.
Tops value
Matt Short and Joe Clarke have carried the batting for Strikers and Stars respectively. Sportsbook have boosted their pair to 11/4 and 16/5 respectively. There are worse wagers for top team bat. Nathan Coulter-Nile remains underrated at 90s for Stars.