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Flat Gabba pitch good for batters
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Play over 170 runs at around evens
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Heat get Khawaja and Labuschagne
Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers
Wednesday 11 January, 08:40
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Team news
Brisbane Heat have only one overseas player in their squad - Ross Whiteley. Colin Munro and Sam Billings have departed. The team are boosted by the return of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne.
It doesn't change their weakness, though, which is with the ball. Labuschagne may have to be a sixth option. Only Michael Neser gets in another XI at the moment, we suspect.
Possible XI: Khawaja, Brown, McSweeney, Labuschagne, Peirson, Bryant, Whiteley, Neser, Steketee, Swepson, Kuhnemann
Perth are probably helped by the absence of Faf Du Plessis and Adam Lyth, who were disappointing. Stephen Eskinazi now gets a run as opener and David Payne has arrived.
Ashton Agar comes back into the squad following Australia duty. There is no Jhye Richardson, who has a hamstring injury, so Lance Morris continues to deputise.
Possible XI: Bancroft, Eskinazi, Hardie, Inglis, Turner, Hobson, Agar, Kelly, Payne, Tye, Behrendorff
Pitch report
The Gabba looks good for batters. Heat have posted 166 and 224 so far this term. It's now eight of the last 15 first digs which have gone over 170 or more.
Heat, in belligerent mood, are far from a mug bet to go overs a par line in the mid 160s. Perth should comfortably notch 170 or more. Playing either on the runs market should see odds of around even money.
How to play
Heat 2.3811/8 can only play one way. And that is to be utterly reckless. So long as they subscribe to that view, and we think they do, it should be commended.
To that end, then, on a flat one batting first Heat can flip these odds against a Perth team without their best bowler. Or they can at least make it a choice affair.
The hosts managed 171 against Perth in defeat on Saturday and need to be a little quicker out of the blocks this time. It's worth a gamble.
Tops value
Khawaja has been boosted to 13/5 for top Heat bat. He is in the form of his life for Australia in tests and may find this a walk in the park.
Cameron Bancroft, who is striking it superbly, is boosted to 3/1 for Perth. AJ Tye's excellent record against Heat continued in the previous encounter. He is cut from 3s after the win to 12/5 for top Perth bowler.