Heat v Thunder BBL best bets & multi tips – Thursday, December 29
| Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder BBL Betting Odds & Game Info | |
|---|---|
| Best odds | Heat $2.20 at BetOnline | Thunder $1.67 at BetOnline |
| When | Thursday, December 29 | 5:05pm AEST |
| Where | Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast |
| Watch live | Seven, Fox Sports, Kayo |
The Big Bash League travels to the Gold Coast for the first time this season with the Brisbane Heat hosting the Sydney Thunder at Metricon Stadium.
Brisbane will be desperate to get their season back on track after their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Thunder on Tuesday.
The Heat struggled to score for most of their innings before the opening partnership of Matthew Gilkes and Alex Hales demoralised the Heat, scoring 56 not out and 59 not out respectively at a strike rate greater than 150.
Brisbane will need to improve in leaps and bounds if they are to bridge the gap between themselves and the Thunder to win and get their season back on track.
Conditions are difficult to predict given the limited cricket played at Metricon Stadium. Historically, the wicket has been slower and more susceptible to spin bowling, like the wicket these two sides played on in Sydney.
The Heat have changes they could make that would help them improve to take the Thunder on again, but it’s virtually impossible to see the Thunder lose this match paying $1.67.
Matthew Gilkes was in fine form for the Thunder on Tuesday; however, he is somewhat inconsistent and the greatest concern for the Heat will be Alex Hales. He played some very streaky shots and was the beneficiary of luck en route to making 59 not out from 36 balls. Hales can only improve from Tuesday heading to the Gold Coast, and should he make those improvements he will be the highest run scorer for the Thunder paying $3.75.
Daniel Sams will again be the go to man for the Thunder with the ball on a wicket where he will be dangerous with the new ball and old. Sams is one of the best in the world at scheming his way through an over, mixing up his variations to make scoring runs impossible for the batsmen. Sams will be given all four of his overs and should finish with at least two wickets in the match paying $1.87.
Key matchup: Mitch Swepson vs Chris Green
Mitch Swepson has struggled in BBL 12 so far having come back from the Australian test squad and needs to improve exponentially to lift this Heat side towards a win. Chris Green often opens the bowling for the Thunder, closes out the innings and can take wickets at any point in the match. It’s that exact threat that Swepson needs to create for the Heat to be more successful in BBL 12. Swepson has the skill to do this, but if he fails to step up, the Heat’s chances of winning diminish immensely.
