Premier League Tips

Adelaide Strikers are dropping like a stone and face a battle to make the top five. They have lost three in a row, highlighting the importance of Rashid Khan whose absence coincides with a disastrous run.

Peter Siddle will probably be rushed back as he manages a niggle to try to stabilise but the problem is with the bat, despite Alex Carey and Travis Head's arrival. They've not made more than 144 in their last three innings:

Probable XI: Short, Head, Carey, Hose, de Grandhomme, Kelly, Manenti, Boyce, W Agar, Siddle, Thornton

Scorchers got back on track after losing to Sixers with a strong show against the Hurricanes. With 18 points on the board a run rate miracle - and two losses - are required for them to miss out on the top two.

Does that mean their intensity drops? Maybe but this XI is settled and each player knows his role. Big runs for Aaron Hardie last time out was a major boost.

Probable XI: Eskinazi, Bancroft, Hardie, Inglis, Turner, Hobson, A Agar, Kelly, Tye, Behrendorff, Morris

Pitch report

More than 180 has been busted three times this season in six as The Oval has returned to its rep for big runs. Still, Heat could manage only 154 last time. And there is caution about going overs on the par line here because of Strikers' dreadful batting against a crack bowling unit.

If one team does go big, it is most likely to be Scorchers who have an average run rate of 8.4. That puts them right on the margin of over 169. They're not a shabby bet to get the extra run.

How to play

Perth did the business at 1.758/11 against Hurricanes and it's perhaps a surprise they're not shorter here. The match odds have them in at 1.715/7.

Strikers are 2.3611/8. It's hard to see a route to victory other than Travis Head finally producing an innings of note (although check out his stats below). Perth concede an average of 7.4 an over so Strikers will have to bat out of their skin to put them under pressure. If they chase, the dismal effort against heat last time is unforgettable.

Tops value

Ashton Turner got Perth home in a tight chase the last time these sides met so the 6/1 looks fair, particularly when you consider he has 111 runs off 65 balls with two outs against the probable Strikers attack in his career.

Head is out to joint-second favourite with Alex Carey at 3/1 with Matt Short 13/5, although a boost to 16/5 is available. Head has a poor record against this attack (56 runs for four outs). Carey and Short don't inspire either.

Ed Hawkins

2023: -0.34
2022:+19.79
2021: +29.41pts
2020: +5.91pts
2019: +37.25pts
2018: +23.53pts
2017: +12pts
2016: +18.1pts
2015: +38pts
2014: +31.5pts
2013: +25pt

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