2018/19 Big Bash League: Predicting the champions of BBL 08
The Big Bash League is now winding down for another season, but with 3 big games to go, it's about to get better than ever as teams fight to secure the trophy. It's been a great year with plenty of amazing action, but with 2 semi-finals and one final to go, we are about to see some more quality T20 action. With that being said, here are our predictions for the final 3 games of BBL08.
Game 1 - Hobart Hurricanes vs. Melbourne Stars
After their recent demolition of the Sixers, there's no hotter team in the Big Bash than the Melbourne Stars, but they are pitted against the team that dominated the entire tournament in the Hobart Hurricanes. This game will feature incredible talent up and down both lineups, but with the depth in the Hurricanes' batting and bowling, it's hard to see them falling short.
With Matthew Wade and D'Arcy Short opening the batting, the Hurricanes have been almost unbeatable, because those men have combined to score more runs than any opening pair in this tournament. That's not to take away from the bowling attack either, because Riley Meredith, Jofra Archer and the rest of that lineup have been dominant from start to finish, which will make it hard for the Stars to get a roll going.
With that being said, the lineup consisting of Handscomb, Stoinis, Maddinson and Maxwell are incredibly dangerous, and with all those international players, experience in the big stage will come in handy. Unfortunately, the Stars don't have the bowling lineup to effectively stop the deep batting lineup that this Hurricanes team possess, and the team in purple will end up one step closer to their first BBL title.
Prediction: Hobart Hurricanes Win
Predicted Lineups
Melbourne Stars -
Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dunk, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell (c0, Nic Maddinson, Dwayne Bravo, Seb Gotch, Jackson Bird, Adam Zampa, Sandeep Lamicchane, Daniel Worrall.
Hobart Hurricanes -
D'Arcy Short, Matthew Wade (c), Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, George Bailey, Simon Milenko, Jofra Archer, Clive Rose, Qais Ahmad, David Moody, Riley Meredith.