Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat Big Bash Tips: Heat can hurt troubled Thunder

• Heat underrated at the SHowground

• Thunder in chaos

• Cutting a potential 20/1 top bat bet

Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat
Tuesday 27 December, 08:10
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

Thunder are having a torrid time. They have lost captain Jason Sangha to a broken collar bone and have sacked their best bowler, Faz Farooqi, for ill-discipline. Oh, and they were bowled out for 15 by Adelaide.

Usman Qadir, the spinner, comes in to replace Farooqi. They have also signed Joel Davies, a batter. He is the brother of Ollie Davies.

Probable XI: Hales, Gilkes, Rossouw, O Davies, Sams, Ross, McAndrew, Green, G Sandhu, Doggett, Qadir

Heat got their first win of the season last time out. They downed heavy favourites the Strikers by six runs. It was a come-from-behind victory after Strikers squeezed them with the ball.

Sam Billings was the star, hitting 79 from 48 to post 166. Michael Neser has revolutinised their bowling aince being released from Test duty.

Probable XI: Bryant, Munro, Renshaw, Billings, Peirson, Whiteley, Neser, Bazley, Steketee, Kuhnemann, Swepson

Pitch report

Thunder return to the scenme of the crime. It was the Showground that they were humiliated by Strikers. Strikers didn't find the pitch too easy themselves as they laboured to 139. Previously, there had been six scores of 160 or more in the nine first digs which were not rain affected. The par line is a wait-and-see approach.

How to play

Thunder are a bizarre 1.774/5 price with Heat 2.226/5. Surely this should be a choice affair consider the home team's squad changes, Heat's up tick and Thunder's three defeats in four?

It would be wrong to reckon Heat are suddenly world beaters but Neser's six wickets in his two games have made a previously blunted bowling attack sharp. They can at least trade favourites.

Tops value

Matthew Gilkes is having a miserable time as Thunder opener and there's speculative value in betting a batter to go well when he is replaced. The candidates for Alex Hales' opening partner could include Ollie Davies or Daniel Sams. The duo are 11/2 and 13/2 respectively. Ben Cutting is another possibility at 20s.

Sportsbook have boosted Hales to 11/5 and Colin Munro (Heat) to 13/5. Billings is 7/2 for a repeat.