Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades Big Bash Tips: Gades should not be underdogs

• Renegades at strongest early on

• Heat poor favourites

• Russell 13/2 for top Renegades bat

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Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Renegades
Thursday 15 December, 08:15
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

Heat are a poor team. They finished seventh last season and there's not a whole chunk of evidence that they've improved their squad. Colin Munro and Sam Billings are here for a short time and we're not convinced they can make a dent in a batting line-up which was ranked eighth for power last term.

Probable XI: Bryant, Bartlett, Munro, Billings, Heazlett, Peirson, Bazley, Neser, Swepson, Wildermuth, Steketee

Renegades finished one place lower than Heat last term for their third-consecutive bottom-placed finish. That's some achievement.

Their main aim this year appears to be to get off the bottom. So they have thrown money at the problem for a short-term win. Mujeeb ur Rahmann, Akeal Hosein and Andre Russell should improve them but not for long. Russell will play in the first four matches only. The others move on in January.

Possible XI: Finch, S Marsh, Maddinson, Wells, Harper, Russell, Sutherland, Akeal, Mujeeb, Rogers, Richardson

Pitch report

There has been only one T20 match at Cazaly Stadium and that was in the women's Bash. The first-innings score was 171 and was chased. It could well be flat, then. However on a non-existent study sample we'd be wise not to play the runs markets unless it's obviously like glass. Neither team have batting powess to fall back on, by the way. No rain is forecast.

How to play

Heat are 1.865/6 with Renegades 2.1411/10. That's a dreadful price about the Heat so let's make one clear at the early stage of this tournament: if you consider that to be value just put your chips away for the rest of the tournament.

Renegades have significant issues stretching back years. But their recruitment has been good and they can at least start well. The big players for us are Tom Rogers, an excellent pick-up from Hobart, and Jono Wells from Adelaide.

Tops value

Shaun Marsh is our pick for top Renegades series bat and he's boosted to 3/1 by Sportsbook to top for his team in game one. But Wells gets a mention, too, at 9/2. Russell is 13/2. For Heat, James Bazley and Jimmy Peirson are often underrated. They're 10/1 the pair.