Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers Big Bash Tips: Will Strikers stink again?

• Coffs Harbour pitch tricky to call

• Strikers suffer alarming dip

• Sixers need to be bold

Sydney Sixers v Adelaide Strikers
Tuesday 17 January, 08:15
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

Sixers are our tip for glory so we're always going to push for more. So despite beating Perth last time out and taking a giant leap to the qualifier, they need to wise the fuzz up. Josh Philippe's go-slow almost cost them. If Steve Smith opens he needs to value his wicket less. That aside the combination of Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe could be title winning.

Probable XI: Philippe, Smith, Patterson, Henriques, Silk, Christian, Kerr, Abbott, Dwarshuis, O'Keefe, Lyon

Strikers have produced two shocking efforts in a row, inexplicably collapsing against Brisbane Heat in a chase of 154 and being bowled out for 108 against the Stars. Those two games were a golden opporunity to put pressure on the top two.

The Heat loss was particularly confusing because they were bolstered by a fit-again Peter Sidde and the returning Travis Head and Alex Carey. They are now depleted again. Peter Siddle is rested and Chris Lynn has departed.

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

Pitch report

Just the two completed games at Coffs Harbour in T20. Sixers chased 176 against Strikers in 2020 and last January failed to defend 151 against Perth. There's not enough to go on to take a runs bet view so use the eyes in the first few overs and look for pace, bounce and carry for clues as to whether batters can play with freedom.

How to play

Sixers are 1.75/7 favourites as you would expect. At this stage of the season with the squad changes we were expecting to side with Strikers more often than not, but confidence has been hit.

The defeat by Heat was a real stomach churner. And the sight of Ben Manenti and Cameron Boyce carded at Nos 7 and 8 even with Head and Carey in the side doesn't make us feel much better.

Tops value

Travis Head averages 31 against Sixers and strikes at 142. If Strikers are to upset the odds here then he surely has to fire. Sportsbook have boosted him to 9/1 for player of the match. He is 13/5 favourite to top score for Strikers and 10/11 for more than 24.5 runs. Smith has been boosted to 11/2 for overall top match bat.