HUR v STR Prediction: Who will win the BBL Match?
The Hobart Hurricanes go up against the Adelaide Strikers in a rematch of the two sides' earlier meeting in the BBL on Sunday. Having started the tournament with two wins from two games, the Hobart Hurricanes look to be in ominous touch at the moment. They will be aiming to continue their fine run of form when they take on the Adelaide Strikers at the Aurora Stadium in Launceston on Tuesday.
It has been a terrific start to the BBL tournament for the Hobart Hurricanes. They may not have Dawid Malan, Matthew Wade, or Keemo Paul in their ranks yet, but the Hurricanes have demolished the Sixers and the Strikers in their first two games of this season. D'Arcy Short seems to have finally found his form, while Colin Ingram and Tim David are playing with great confidence.
However, the Hurricanes' best weapon so far has undoubtedly been their bowling attack. Led by James Faulkner and Riley Meredith, the Hurricanes restricted the Strikers to 49/6 on Sunday.
The Adelaide Strikers will be the first to admit that they were poor with the bat in the reverse fixture. With Travis Head and Alex Carey missing, the Strikers batting order didn't look menacing. The latter is back in the squad for the game on Tuesday, in what will undoubtedly be a big boost to the Strikers. Peter Siddle captained the South Australian outfit on Sunday, but Carey will probably be in-charge on Sunday.
Siddle will still have a key role to play as the Strikers' leading bowler. So will Rashid Khan, who was impressive in their opener. Wes Agar took the wickets of D'Arcy Short and Will Jacks in an encouraging display on Sunday, and he will be aiming to build on that performance.
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BBL 2020-21 Match 8, Hurricanes vs Strikers Match Prediction
If Sunday's game is anything to go by, the Hobart Hurricanes will fancy their chances of registering a victory yet again. But the Adelaide Strikers will certainly be boosted by the return of Alex Carey. The 61-run tenth wicket partnership between Daniel Worrall and Danny Briggs, which the Hurricanes weren't able to breach, means that they have a bit of momentum going into the game.
If the Strikers can sort out their batting woes, they have the bowling strength to cause problems to any batting order in the world, let alone in the BBL. Wes Agar was excellent in last year's tournament, and he clearly has a knack for taking key wickets. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan is one of the world's best T20 bowlers and has the ability to bring the run rate down instantly.
The Hurricanes also have a fearsome bowling attack, led by James Faulkner, Riley Meredith, and the veteran Johan Botha. They were all among the wickets on Sunday, and will be looking to rip through the Strikers' batting order once again. The biggest asset for the Hurricanes, though, is D'Arcy Short. If he manages to perform with the bat, the team in purple look like a different beast. With Ben McDermott also back, the Hurricanes' batting order will be get another boost.
The Strikers will certainly put up more of a fight on Tuesday, but the Hurricanes are simply too strong in all departments and will fancy their chances of completing the double.
Prediction: Hobart Hurricanes to win.